


Fluffy and Flirty Bucky One-Shots

by Darling_Rebel



Category: Avengers, Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Apocalypse, Bakery, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Marriage, Nothing too extreme, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Pets, Reader Insert, Reader-Insert, Self Insert, Self-Insert, bad boy bucky, bonding with bucky, cute bucky, domestice life, extreme fluff, like i said lots of fluff and flirty stuff, lip biter bucky, married with kids, my english isnt that good so please be patient with me ;w;, my fav type of bucky tbh, one shots, reader will have superpowers in all chpts, some strong language, some suggestive themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-03 11:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5289371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darling_Rebel/pseuds/Darling_Rebel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There can never be enough Bucky fluff so I decided to contribute! A few prompts that will be included:</p><p>•      Bakery AU<br/>•	Flower Shop AU<br/>•	Caught Cuddling<br/>•	Rainy Days<br/>•	Cafe AU<br/>•	Amusement Park<br/>•	Pacific Rim AU<br/>•      Zombie Apocalypse AU<br/>•	Married with Kids AU<br/>•	Secret Love letters<br/>•	Blushing Bucky<br/>•	Haunted House</p><p>These are only a few of the promts, I will be adding may more! >:3c<br/>**READER WILL HAVE SUPER POWERS IN ALL ONE-SHOTS!**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. List of Prompts

Hello everyone! Here is a longer list of the prompts I will be basing each chapter on, I would like to add that this is not a complete list. I will be adding many more prompts so the prompts listed below are the ones I am currently writing!

  

  * Zombie Apocalypse
  * ‘Its raining and I'm naked’
  *  Natural Disaster Apocalypse
  *  War Apocalypse
  *  Disease Pandemic [non-zombie]
  *  ‘We’re on a date to the zoo and I'm horribly allergic to animals but didn’t tell you because I wanted to see you smile’ 
  *  ‘I'm scared of hospitals can you come with me?’
  *   Stranded
  *   Experiment Subjects 
  *  ‘We’re at the grocery store and we have no idea what the fuck to buy’
  *  ‘We’re using a get away car and I don't know how to drive’
  *  Sick Reader
  *  'Stop adopting strays'
  *  Amusement Park
  *  ‘You love art and I'm try to impress you but am failing miserably’ 
  *  Pacific Rim AU
  *  Domestic Life (Married)
  *  Bakery
  *  Flower Shop
  *  'I know where you hid them'
  *  Married with Kids
  *  'You can kill a man with your eyes closed but sob like a baby when there's a bug in the house'
  *  Spies 
  *  'You love your plants so much I'm jealous'
  *  Adopted
  *  'I'm trying to woo you but I can't finish my sentences because your beautiful and I panic' 
  *  Kiss With A Fist
  *  Heavy Sleeper
  *  'I love you but I can't let you win'
  *  Secret Love letters
  *  Hand to Hand combat
  *  Party
  * 'You found my diary now I welcome death with open arms'
  *  Halloween 
  *  Haunted house
  *  Arranged Marriage
  *  Late night walks in the Forest



 

I will be adding more so look forward to it~!!


	2. Flower Shop AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He never knew something so beautiful could survive the brutality of winter…

 

Prompt: Flower AU/'You love your plants so much and I'm jealous'

 

 

** _Speak My Language_ **

 

_Bucky had never been one to freeze in fear, hesitate or stumble around,_

_But when he was around you, it was impossible not to._  

     The chilled air of winter had finally settled in Manhattan and Bucky couldn’t have been happier. It was thanks to the cold temperatures that there were less people on the streets and less commotion in general. The best part of winter was he could wear long sleeve tops without receiving questioning looks from those around him.

     The ex-assassin had slipped unnoticed from Stark tower and hoped it stayed that way. The awkwardness and stiffness of the air in that blasted tower was suffocating and he wanted nothing more than to escape it, even if only for a few hours. It had been that way since he had moved in and although it was uncomfortable he didn’t mind. There was a roof over his head, clothes on his back, and food in his stomach; what more could he ask for?

     The thick snow crunched beneath the super soldier’s heavy footsteps and the racket it made bothered him. He wanted to keep a low profile and avoid attention. Not that he needed to, nobody knew who he was. But every time someone walked past him old habits kicked in and he pulled his scarf to cover the lower half of his face then looked away to avoid eye contact.

     Bucky wandered through the city and let his feet guide him through the twists and turns of the city’s streets. He absentmindedly wandered to a quieter part of the city and was grateful for its serene atmosphere. He turned the corner then squinted when an array of brilliant colors assaulted his eyes. Bucky hid behind a corner to allow his eyes to recover then peeked out to register what the bright colors were, and was surprised when he realized what they were; flowers.

 _‘There are flowers around this time of the year? They should be dead because of the cold…’_ he thought to himself.

     The flowers were displayed in front of a small shop, there were stacks and stacks of bouquets of all sorts of flowers which were all alive and in full bloom. Their colors stood in stark contrast with the whiteness that surrounded them and Bucky couldn’t help but smile at the sight. It was good to see something so beautiful after living the life he had lived; but life had another surprise for him.

     The doors of the shop opened and a girl walked out to check on the flowers outside of her shop. Bucky’s mouth went dry and despite the freezing temperatures, a sudden flare of heat coursed through his body. He avoided eye contact with every person he came in contact with but it was humanly impossible for him to tear his eyes away from her.

 _‘Shit she’s cute!’_ Bucky thought to himself as he bit his lip.

     Everything about her was breathtaking, from her cute coat and snow boots to her loose hair blowing in the breeze. He also admired the white flower that she had behind her ear. Bucky watched as the girl shivered (and swore that he’d rip off his jacket and give it to her without hesitation if he could move his body). She then pulled her lavender scarf tighter around her neck and smiled down at a flower then took off one of her mittens to stroke its vibrant petals. Never in all his life had Bucky thought he’d be jealous of a plant but there he was, green with envy over a flower. She continued to caress the flower then knelt down to whisper something; it was strange but Bucky was enchanted by her regardless. Bucky could have swore he saw the flower perk up after the girl had touched it but he quickly dismissed the thought. The ex-assassin’s heart stopped when the girl looked in his direction. For the first time since he saw her, he took in his surroundings and was mortified by all the questioning and cautious expressions of the people that walked about.

     Oh this looked bad. A man hiding behind a corner and staring at a pretty girl was never a good thing. Bucky quickly turned around to hide behind the wall he had been peeking from and cursed himself for looking like a creep. He face palmed and groaned in frustration but a soft laugh pulled him from his embarrassment. He quickly (too quickly) peeked his head out and saw the girl look back and smile at him before reentering her shop. Bucky exhaled a deep sigh of relief, she must have seen that his intentions were pure and he meant no ill will. After much inner debate, Bucky took a deep breath, then stood up and made his way towards the shop.

     The ex-assassin paused at the door and reconsidered his decision. His bravery waxed and waned and even though he wanted to talk to the girl, he was hesitant for obvious reasons. His past…was he worthy of something so beautiful. Bucky glanced at the flowers on display then reached out to touch a petal. He never knew something so beautiful could survive the brutality of winter…

     When he opened the door the sweet smell of flowers welcomed him and for some reason, the aroma calmed his nerves and eased his worries. A soft chime sounded through the store but Bucky was too engrossed in taking in the beauty of everything. The diversity of the flowers amazed him and regardless of their color, size, and shape, they were all beautiful in his eyes.

     “Good evening sir,” a soft voice greeted.

     The former Winter Soldier froze in place and for the first time in his life, was at the mercy of another person.

 

_~_

 

     You had seen him as soon as he walked down the street. Your shop was on the quiet side of the city where the elderly couples and young families lived. Although you adored the serenity of the atmosphere and all the familiar smiling faces, every now and then you hoped something exciting would come your way; and today was the day your wish came true. You had been watering the flowers near the windows when you saw him. It was rare that young people came to this part of the city (probably because they considered it too quiet and dull) so when he walked down the street all eyes were on him, including yours.

     _‘Shit he’s cute!’_  you thought to yourself when he came closer.

     You had always been one to wait for a guy to make the first move but he was the sole exception. You ran to the back room to grab your lavender scarf but when you returned he was nowhere in sight. You groaned in frustration at the loss of flirting with such a cute guy. You released a sigh of defeat then figured you should go check on your flowers that were outside. The winters of Manhattan were merciless and the land was barren and devoid of all greenery, it was thanks to you that your flowers were able to survive in below zero temperatures. Once outside, you noticed that one of your Anemone flowers was beginning to wilt. You smiled sadly at the flower then reached out to stroke its baby blue petals.

     “I would never forsake you my darling,” you whispered to the sorrowful flower.

     Your touch and soft words brought the wilting flower back to life. You quickly checked the other flowers to see if any were wilting and when you saw they were all well you decided to go back inside. Before you opened the door, you heard them whisper a warning and you immediately felt a pair of eyes watching you. Quickly whirling around to scan your surroundings, your eyes (and most of the people walking down the street) fell upon the cute man from earlier. He was staring at you while hiding behind a wall, at first you felt threatened but when you sensed no ill will from him you relaxed. When he saw you looking back at him, he quickly hid behind the corner. You knew you shouldn’t have, but you couldn’t help but laugh at his shyness. Most men now and days were cocky and arrogant so you found his bashfulness cute. When he peeked his head out, you smiled sweetly at him then entered your shop. You hoped he took the hint and decided to visit your humble shop. Once inside, you took a moment to steady your racing heart before tending to your flowers. Yes, the man was very handsome and yes, you hoped he’d come see you but your beloved flowers would always be your first priority. You made your rounds and checked each display and flower to make sure they were all alive and well. If a flower was wilting or seemed sick, all you had to do was touch it then the flower would be restored to its full health.

     You were in the back room creating newly bloomed flowers when you heard the door open and the chime ring through the store. Your heart fluttered at the thought of it being him but you reasoned with yourself that it could be anyone so you wouldn’t be heartbroken if it wasn’t him. You rushed over to one of the glass displays to check your appearance, once you had fixed your hair and straightened your outfit, you took a deep breath then walked to the front of the store.

     Much to your heart’s delight, it was him. You held back an overjoyed smile and tried to appear as professional as possible.

     “Good evening sir,” you softly greeted. When he turned to face you, every muscle in his body tensed, his eyes grew wide. He was tall and muscular but the blush that stained his cheeks made him look anything but intimidating.‘Shit he’s cute.’

 

_~_

 

 _‘Shit she’s even cuter up close!’_ Bucky screamed inside his head.

     It took Bucky every ounce of willpower to keep himself from biting his lip. He had been staring at you from behind a wall so he didn’t want to seem like more of a creep to a darling girl like you.

     “Is there anything I can help you find today sir?” you asked and praised yourself for keeping your voice steady.

     Bucky stared down at you and panicked. He hadn’t planned this far ahead and didn’t know what to say.

     “Flowers,” Bucky blurted out and knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. The embarrassment from his stupid answer would haunt him for the rest of his days.

     “Alright! Is there anything in particular you're looking for?” you asked as you fought back a laugh. You loved it when guys were nervous around you.

     “Flowers, I came in for flowers,” Bucky restated in a rushed and panicked tone. You decided to have mercy on the poor soul and smiled as you pretended he had said something normal.

     “Alright sir, let me know if you need anything,” you offered with another sweet smile then walked to the back room. Once there you grabbed your scarf, held it to your mouth, and released the laugh you had been holding in.

     _‘Bless his heart and soul he’s so horrible at flirting,’_ you thought as you wiped a tear from your eye.

     He was sweet and had a pleasant aura around him so you were very happy to have him in your shop. Once you had calmed, you decided it was time to get back to work. You grabbed the papers of commissions and projects you had to complete, then reentered the front of the store.

     Bucky had pushed his embarrassment aside and decided to deal with it later, for now he just wanted to enjoy the flowers around him and hoped you’d give him another chance.

     You watched from the counter as the man roamed around the store and examined every flower and display. He seemed to be enjoying himself and you couldn’t help but smile to yourself, your flowers were your pride and passion but you found true joy in the happiness your flowers brought to people. You had just finished your first commission when you decided to check on the man. You hadn’t seen him but you hadn’t heard the bells chime which meant he was still in the store. You saw him looking at some chrysanthemums and you immediately gave your sympathies. _‘Poor soul…’_

     The ex-assassin jumped in surprise when he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder blade. He turned and saw you looking at him with a sorrowful smile across your lips.

     “I offer you my deepest sympathies sir,” you softly comforted, “They’re in a better place,” you added gently and offered another sweet smile.

     Bucky stared down at you in utter confusion. _‘Deepest sympathies? Who’s in a better place?’_

     You read his expression and was equally confused.

     “I’m sorry for not helping you sooner. Are you looking for flowers for a funeral sir?” you asked in a sympathetic voice, completely ready to comfort him if he became emotional. Funerals were a common commission and your heart went out to everyone who lost their loved ones.

     “What? There’s no funeral I was just looking at them,” Bucky answered in a rushed tone as he tried to make sense of the whole situation but was still utterly confused.

     “What made you think I was looking for funeral flowers?” Bucky finally asked. You looked at him and understood, it was common for people to not know the language.

     “These are Chrysanthemums, in the language of flowers, they mean _‘grief’_ and _‘mourning’._ They’re commonly used at funerals,” you explained as you reached out and touched one of its short, dark, purple petals.

     A bud blossomed into a full grown flower under your touch and a leaf curled around your fingertip but after you shushed the flower, it slowly uncoiled and returned to its natural position.

     Bucky saw the entire thing and quickly learned there was more to you than met the eye. Then again he had no room to talk, he himself was a super soldier and the people he lived with were anything but normal. When you looked back at him you smiled and he couldn’t help but return the gesture.

     “The _’Language of Flowers’_? Does every flower have a meaning?” Bucky questioned.

     He was eager to learn more but what he really wanted was to spend more time with you. He hadn’t really spoken with anyone (beside Steve), mainly because he found it so difficult. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy to change that, but he hoped he could be different around you. When his question reached your ears, you immediately perked up.

     “Yes! Each and every flower has a meaning, some have more than one. Color is also important since each color has its own meaning. See the flowers surrounding the entrance?” Bucky turned to see the flowers, their shades of purple blossoms grew close together and hung downwards, giving them a wispy but elegant look.

     “Those are Wisterias, they mean _‘welcome’._ I thought it was only appropriate to place them at the entrance of the shop,” you explained with a soft laugh.

     “Most greenery, leaves, herbs, trees, even some nuts have meanings! It’s a wonderful thing,” you finished as you stroked several flowers around you, each and every one of them perked and bloomed under your touch. Bucky looked at you in admiration, he loved hearing you talk about your passions and never wanted you to stop. He quickly looked around the shop and pointed to the closest flower next to him.

     “What does that flower mean?” The ex-assassin asked. Your eyes followed his finger and you smiled when you realized what he was doing.

     “The Camellia? _‘Admiration’_ and _‘Perfection’_ ,” you answered as you look down at the small pink and white flowers.

     “And that one?” Bucky asked as he pointed to a potted flower.

     “That’s an Orchid, it means _‘Love’_ and _‘beauty’_ ,” you informed as you looked over to the brightly colored, and very popular flower.

     “What about that one?” the curious man questioned as he pointed to an orange flower with massive petals that flared outwards.

     “ _’Hatred’_ , _‘Dislike’_ and in some cases _‘I Want You Dead’_ ”, you answered and laughed when Bucky looked at you with wide eyes.

     “Yes it’s true. Not all flowers mean something pleasant. Back then giving someone a flower like that was a classy way to talk shit,” you remarked with a humored smile which Bucky returned.

     He wanted to continue talking to you, but he didn’t know what to say. Steve had said that back in the day he had been a huge flirt and charmed every girl he met. Bucky hoped against all odds he still had some of that in him, but at the present moment he knew he didn’t. The ex-assassin looked at you and felt embarrassed. He eyed you up and down and took in every part of your cute outfit then look down at his own. He wore a black leather jacket over a dark grey hoodie, a red scarf, black jeans, and hiking boots; his outfit kept him warm but was far from presentable. Had he known he would meet you, he would have asked Steve for some classier clothes. Aside from his outfit, Bucky felt ashamed that he didn’t know what to say or how to act around a pretty girl like you. He could kill a man with his eyes closed but when it came to talking to a cute girl like you, he was helpless. Hell, you had been the first girl he had even made eye contact with, much less had a conversation with.

     _‘It’s progress,’_ Bucky thought to himself. He didn’t understand what to do in a situation like this, so he fell back on his old plan and hoped you wouldn’t get annoyed.

     “What about all of those?” the curious man asked you as he pointed to all the flowers on a shelf. There were about twenty different flowers but you didn’t mind. You named every single flower with ease then looked over to the man beside you -who had a very impressed look on his face-to see if he had anymore questions. You could talk about flowers for hours (and you hoped he’d stay that long).

     “What does the flower in your hair mean?” Bucky asked as he pointed to his own ear. You gently touched the flower that kept your hair behind your ear and smiled.

     “Gardenia, it means _‘lovely’_ and _‘sweetness’_ ,” you answered in a soft tone. It was a very popular flower on Mother’s Day because of its fragrant aroma.

     “It suits you,” Bucky confessed without thinking.

     Your eyes shot up to meet his as a blush dusted your cheeks. When you had composed yourself you smiled sweetly and thanked him for the lovely compliment. Bucky would have been a flustered mess had he not been so proud of himself. The words came out on their own. _‘Still got it in you Barnes,’_ he proudly thought to himself.

     “What about that one?” The ex-assassin asked as he pointed to a flower that was two shades of pink with dark freckles.

     “Ah, that’s a Stargazer Lily. It’s my favorite flower of all. It means _‘rare and delicate beauty,_ ” you answered as you gazed over to the plant.

     You were pulled from your trance when you heard the phone ring. Smiling at the man and politely excusing yourself, you rushed over to the phone and answered it. You had just finished the call and was writing down information for a Quinceañera commission when you saw the man on the other side of the counter. You finished the order, filed the paper, then rushed back to tend to the man. You smiled at him then he placed a lavender Stargazer Lily on the counter, non-verbally saying he wanted to buy it. You felt a bit heartbroken but acted like it meant nothing to you. He was very handsome, so of course he’d have a…

     “Is this for someone special?” you asked in a playful tone, trying to hide the sorrow you felt.

     “Yes, very special,” Bucky answered as he opened his wallet and paid for the flower.

     “Would you like me to wrap the stem in a plastic wrap?”

     “Yes please,” Bucky replied as he put the change into his pocket, still not looking at you.

     “Would you like a ribbon with it?” 

     "Yes please.”

     “What color do you want the wrap and ribbon?” you inquired as you took out your different sheets of wrap and spools of ribbons.

     “What’s your favorite color?” He asked. You smiled, it was sweet of him to ask for your opinion.

     “Lavender, but I think an ivory wrap and pink ribbon would look nice.”

     “Make the ribbon lavender,” he requested.

     Bucky watched you as you busied yourself with measuring and cutting the wrap. Your back was turned to him but he could see how much precision and detail went into your work so he didn’t mind (plus he thought you had a very cute bottom and openly admired it as he bit his lip).

     “She’s very pretty,” Bucky remarked from behind you.

     “Prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. She has a beautiful smile and shining eyes, but I love her smile the most. That flower reminds me of her,” Bucky mused as he watched you work. You were glad you had your back facing him so he couldn’t see the heartbreak on your face.

     “Looks like you’re a very lucky man,” you joked with a laugh to hide your aching heart.

     “Very lucky. I never thought she’d talk to a guy like me since she’s such a darling little thing,” the ex-assassin spoke in a dreamy voice, as if he was still trying to believe it was real.

     “Well, I wish you happiness sir,” you chimed with a smile as you handed him the beautifully wrapped flower.

     “I’m always happy when I’m with her,” he replied with a genuine smile as he looked into your eyes.

     “I-I’m certain the two of you will be in a very long and loving relationship,” you fumbled with your words as you blushed under his gaze.

     “Of course, if she’ll have me,” Bucky finished in a soft voice.

     The next thing you knew he was holding out the flower for you to take. Your eyes widened as the realization dawned on you, and when it did you couldn’t help but laugh as your heart rejoiced. The blush on his cheeks and half cheeky half bashful smirk on his face made every part of your heart sing.

     “Maybe you should take her out to lunch,” you proposed in a flirty voice.

     “What kind of food do you think she likes?” Bucky asked in an equally flirtatious tone.

     “Italian.”

     “Do you think she’s free this Saturday at noon?” The ex-assassin asked in a low voice as he leaned on the counter, making him impossible to refuse.

     “For you? Of course she is,” you answered in a wispy tone as you tried to bring your fluttering heart back to earth.

     “It’s a date then,” Bucky remarked and you nodded in confirmation. You laughed as you looked down at the flower he had just ‘bought’ you.

     “You’re quite the charmer aren’t you?” you flirtatiously remarked and looked up at him through your lashes.

     “Only for you doll,” Bucky promised as he leaned over the counter and planted a light kiss on your cheek.

     It was short and fleeting but the scruffiness of his stubble and the softness of his lips caused your body temperature to skyrocket. When he pulled back he gave you a charming wink and a cheeky smirk, both made you melt. Your mouth hung open is surprise and took back your earlier opinion of him being horrible at flirting. No, oh hell no, his ability to flirt was a gift from-

     Before you could finish your thought, Bucky’s eyes widened and ran out the shop faster than your eyes could register. You stood there in complete silence and tried to make sense of what had just happened. At first he was a flustered mess then he turned into a natural flirt then back to being a flustered mess. You laughed then squealed and twirled around the shop in pure joy at what had just happened. Your merriness perked every flower and bloomed every bud in the shop, each offered their congratulations and words of happiness for you.

     When you had finally calmed, you looked down at the flower and took in its lovely aroma. The sweetness of the flower was strong but the scent of him lingered and you smiled at the thought of him. You stroked its long and flaring pink petals and repeated its meaning that both he and you knew;

_‘A rare and delicate beauty.’_

 

~

 

_Epilogue_

 

     Bucky stood in front of the mirror and made sure (for the hundredth time) that everything looked perfect. The super soldier would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous, but more than anything he was excited. After countless dates you still made his heart race. He smoothed out the dashing suit Steve had helped him pick one last time before heading for the door.

     When he walked through the living room, he found his best friend sitting on the couch and reading a book.

     “Steve,” Bucky called out to grab his friend’s attention. Steve looked up from his book and stared at Bucky with wide eyes, then his lips stretched into a goofy grin.

     “Do I look okay?” Bucky asked in a bashful tone.

     It had been decades since he had last worn a suit and he wanted to make sure he look perfect. His best friend casually strolled over to him, then walked around him to look for any imperfections, which he didn’t find.

     “You look great Buck! Going out on a date with (Y/N) again?” Steve asked in an excited voice.

     “Yeah,” Buck answered with a nervous laugh which the other man noticed.

     “Did you get her flowers? Not that she needs them,” Steve remarked with a laugh which Bucky echoed.

     The brunette pulled out the large and colorful bouquet of flowers he was going to give you this evening. Steve’s eyes widened at all the different flowers, then his face softened. He and Bucky had learned the _‘Language of Flowers’_ so that Bucky could convey his feelings for you more poetically (which you adored). Bucky had hand-picked each and every flower for a very specific purpose.

     Amaryllis and Freesia for your radiant and everlasting beauty. Forget-Me-Nots and Honeysuckles to declare that you are his one true love. Lavender Roses and Lilacs to express that you enchanted him and it was love at first sight. Primroses to proclaim he couldn’t live without you, and Peonies to ask you if…

     As Steve examined every single flower, he knew that tonight was the night.

     “You nervous?”

     “Hell yeah,” Bucky replied as he let out an anxious laugh. Steve placed his hand on his best friend’s shoulder then looked him in the eye.

     “She loves you Buck, and you love her,” Steve wanted to say so much more but Bucky already knew how amazing and perfect his relationship with you was.

     “I wish you the best,” Steve wished as he pulled his best friend in for a hug.

     “Don’t worry, she’ll say yes,” the blonde promised as he gave his friend a reassuring squeeze then pulled away and patted his shoulder again.

     “Now get out of here! Don’t keep (Y/N) waiting jerk!” Steve teasingly scolded Bucky.

     “Punk,” Bucky laughed as he playfully glared at his best friend.

     Bucky stepped out into the cool night air and kept the flowers close to his body then reached into his pocket to make sure the small velvet box was there. As he looked down at the bouquet he made sure that the Peonies were in the back so he could ask you the life changing question himself;

 

_“Will you marry me?”_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super fluffy piece! Truth be told this is one of my favorite pieces it was so much fun to write!  
> Regarding the chpt:  
> -The language of flowers is very complex. Many flowers have multiple meanings so I did (a lot!!) of research and tried to find a common theme for each flower and pick something that was a mixture of all the meanings. The meaning also varies depending on the culture. It's super cool I really recommend checking it out!
> 
> I want to write more fluffy pieces for this but maybe I'll write some angst (//evil laughter >:3c) but I haven't decided yet. Finals are around the corner so please be patient. I was also in a horrible car accident (I almost died) and am having to use a cane to walk so recovery might slow down my posting. So if you're religious please pray for me! If not wish me luck!! ;w;)/ (I need it)


	3. Party AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bucky take the wheel,” you ordered as you climbed into his lap (which he would have enjoyed had it not been for the fact that he was being shot at).

‘We’re using a getaway car and I don't know how to drive’/Party AU

 

 

_The Victory of Sound and the Death of Silence_

 

_You in that dress and him in that suit,_

_Was a heated recipe for disaster._

     “Give ‘em hell (Y/N),” Natasha whispered from the driver’s seat as you stepped out of the fancy car and slowly scaled the steps leading to the massive concert hall. You said nothing in reply and she knew you had mentally entered your world.

     You turned off your other senses to focus on your world; the world of sound. After a life time of possessing your powers, you had finally mastered the art of balancing both your world and the real world. As you scaled the stairs leading to the luxurious concert hall, you felt every sound and vibration around you. The people outside the massive building turned to look at you and smiled in a greeting manner which you returned. You heard the muscles in their face contract and release as they smiled and the blood in their veins flow through their bodies. When you reached the entrance, you thanked the doorkeepers as they opened the massive glass doors for you.

     You stepped into the building and awed at the sheer beauty of it all. An elaborate crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling and the warm light that lit the ballroom gave your surroundings a soft and elegant glow. The interior reminded you of a colosseum; at the center was the ballroom you were standing in and all around you were countless rows that reached to the ceiling. Every row was filled with musicians playing their marvelous instruments. You let out a shaky breath of pleasure as you closed your eyes and took in all the sounds around you. 

_'This is what Heaven is like.’_

     You casually strolled through the ballroom while glancing around the room for your partner. As much as you wanted to scale the rows and meet the musicians, you knew you had to stay close to the entrance and wait for him. The mission required both of your skills and could not be completed if one of you was missing. You impatiently roamed through the ballroom and waited for him to arrive.

_‘He’s late.’_

     “I thought you wanted me to be late doll,” you heard him whisper from twelve miles away.

     You sighed in annoyance and knew he heard you from the barely visible microphone (courtesy of Natasha) you had on the back of your ear. You certainly didn’t need it thanks to your powers but it was given to you so that you could communicate with your (extremely late) teammate.

     “I know how much you love music and figured you’d be in Heaven,” he remarked and you knew he was trying to distract you from your annoyance at him.

     “I would be, if it wasn’t for how dangerous this mission is. Everything has to go perfectly and as planned in order for us to make it out alive,” you scolded in a hushed tone while barely moving your mouth.

     You manipulated the sound waves so he could hear you clearly. Avoiding suspicion was a crucial part of the mission; lay low, blend in with the crowd, find then seclude target, and although taking him alive was optional you had both agreed it was best not to leave any evidence behind. Then get what you came for and leave without crashing the party you were (technically) never invited to.

     “Have you figured out where it’s hidden?” your partner asked, he was only three miles away.

      “No dearest that’s your job,” you growled in reply, purposely manipulated the waves so that the people around you heard silence, but he heard your reply in the form of a scream. You smiled in satisfaction when you heard him wince.

     He was almost there when a woman approached you and began to chitchat with you. You smiled and repeated the carefully chosen niceties you had been told to say in order to avoid any suspicion. While you were chatting with her, you heard her heartbeat quicken and the muscles in her body contract and stiffen. Upon closer inspection, you noticed her voice had become higher-pitched and the soundwaves that came from her mouth were unnaturally uneven. The changes in her body and voice made you instantly suspicious but you chose to disregard them, reasoning that she was just anxious about socializing. You heard him walking up the stairs of the concert hall when the woman suddenly excused herself.

    _‘Probably went looking for some more wine,’_ you reasoned, but couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling the whole situation gave you.

 

_~_

_The interior of the concert hall was beautiful but Bucky paid no mind to it, finding you was his top priority. The two of you had to be in the same room but keep a distance for phase one and both of you would be in grave danger if apart for too long. Truth be told he wasn’t worried about you, you were far more powerful than he could ever be and while surrounded by all the sounds and music; you were at the pinnacle of your power. He pitied the target and hoped you were merciful and ended it quickly. The ex-assassin scanned the room for you and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you._

_Bucky’s breath caught in his throat as he watched you advanced towards him, your anger radiated from your body and the aura around you was deadly. He felt like a wounded rabbit and you were a mighty tiger stalking towards him, ready to ravenously devour him. The ex-assassin would have been petrified, had it not been for your dress. The black lacy material clung to your curves and the excess material of your dress glided on the floor making it look like the shadow of death itself was following you. Your hair was styled up into an elegant updo and the dark red lipstick you wore made it look like you had forgotten to wipe off the blood of your last victim. You swayed your hips as you walked and even though he knew it was from the high heels you wore, he suspected you were doing it on purpose to tempt him, as punishment for being late. Bucky unintentionally pulled at the collar of his tuxedo in hopes of cooling and saving his body from your burning glare. The fire in your eyes and the alluring death-like dress that clung to your body made him need to excuse himself, but he somehow managed to cool his heated blood._

_~_

 

     You would have been lying if you said that seeing him in a perfectly tailored tuxedo didn’t take your breath away. His usually tousled hair had been changed from a messy bun to an elegantly styled ponytail. He froze when he saw you and you mentally smirked at his reaction.

     _‘See what you’ve been missing out on?’_  you thought to yourself as your glare intensified and you purposely swung your hips in a seductive manner. You saw his chest shake as he released a shaky breath and heard his blood rush to…

     _’Not here you idiot, save it for next week,’_ you mentally scolded him and lessened your alluring hip swaying. You were grateful he was finally able to control himself, the mission would have to be aborted if he was distracted in any way shape or form.

     “James,” you growled in a dangerously low tone which made Bucky’s body tremble.

     The only time you said his real name was when you were fuming with anger or he was in trouble. In this case it was both. _‘Just one more week, then I’ll have you screaming my name every night my love,’_ Bucky mentally promised as he bit his lip.

     “Yes my darling?” Bucky innocently asked as he took your hand in his and kissed the back of it. The mixture of your sweet perfume and the softness of your skin made him have to increase his concentration on the mission and not other things.

      “Cut the act and let’s get this over with. The sooner we finish the sooner we’re out of danger,” you irritatedly bit back.

     His gesture wasn’t out of the ordinary, this was a very expensive party, for the higher classes, so kissing the back of a lady’s hand was normal. It was his intentions to charm you and get himself back on your good side that annoyed you.

     “Have you spotted him?” the cause of your agitation asked as he scanned the room.

     “No, we’ll have to split up and look for him. He’s in the room I know that much, so stay close,” you instructed as you looked back at him.

     “No problem doll,” Bucky replied with a cheeky wink then bit his lip in a seductive manner. You rolled your eyes and walked away before he could have the chance to charm you.

     You casually strolled the room as you listened to the heartbeat and blood circulation of everyone in the room. The target knew he was a wanted man, thus it could be assumed he would be the most anxious one here.

     “Would you like a glass of wine madam?”

     You turned to the source of the voice and saw an ‘attractive’ waiter holding out a glass of wine for you to take. You noticed that his words and actions contradicted themselves; his words were offering but his actions screamed, _‘take it’_.

     You noted that none of the waitresses had approached you, the ‘attractive’ male in front of you was the first to offer you anything. You didn’t need to acknowledge the frantic scrambling of the neurons in his brain to know that something was wrong.

     “No thank you I don’t drink,” you politely declined and immediately noted he stepped closer to you.

     “Please madam I insist. This is the finest wine in the country. I know you’ll enjoy it,” his voice deepened as he tried to coax you into taking the glass. His body language became more intimidating in hopes of scaring you into doing what he wanted.

     After much inner debate, you concluded that the best way to avoid suspicion was to not call attention to yourself. Reluctantly, you took the glass from him. Once it was in your hands, you pretended not to notice the sinister and satisfied smirk that stretched across his lips. You brought the glass to your nose, took in the scent, then sighed in fake pleasure.

     “Yes I must say this does smell exquisite!” you smiled as you lied through your teeth. One sniff of the liquid in your hands and you knew, _‘This isn’t wine’._

     You slightly bowed your head and smiled in thanks before excusing yourself. You kept your composure but purposely avoided every waiter and waitress as you casually weaved between different groups of guests.

     “Bucky listen to me, keep an eye on everyone in the room something is going on. Don’t accept or consume anything they give you everything is laced with a toxin,” you informed your partner as you sneakily dumped the poisoned beverage into a potted plant then hid the glass. You heard a Mushroom-Stuffed Shrimp splat on the dirt of a potted plant and knew he had gotten your message.

     “Never liked fancy food anyways,” Bucky commented as he awkwardly tried to cover the appetizer with dirt but eventually decided to just leave it.

     “There’s more to this place than meets the eye Bucky watch my back,” you told him in a serious and low tone.

     “Done.”

     “The area around me not my ass you idiot!” you whispered but manipulated the sound waves so he heard it as a yell.

     “It’s the best thing in the room,” he shamelessly admitted. The crystal chandelier, hand painted ceiling, and the hundreds of musicians surrounding him, paled in comparison to your ass. Bucky quickly changed the topic before you could scold him again.

     “(Y/N) I’m hungry. Let’s get something to eat after this,” Bucky proposed as he made plans for if the two of you made it out alive. Wanting to get your mind off of the pressure of the mission, you decided to converse with him on a lighter subject.

     “Let’s try that Thai place near the park, I’ve been wanting to go there for a while,” you remarked.

     “No I don’t want that.”

     “Then what do you want to eat?”

     “Well…”

     You could hear him smirk and bite his lip as he let his imagination conjure countless heated and passionate fantasies.

     “Shut your mouth and get back to looking for the target,” you scolded in a stern tone as you halted the suddenly inappropriate conversation.

_‘He’s so impatient!’_

    All eyes were on you as you casually strolled through the room in search of the target. He couldn’t blame them, the dress you were wearing was a crime. Bucky had been biting his bottom lip so much it looked like he had been kissing a meat grinder. He tried with all his might to focus on finding the target but you were his one and only weakness and he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.

     “Focus Bucky,” he heard you scold him when you had caught him staring at you from across the room.

     “Easier said than done doll,” Bucky shamelessly admitted with a smirk as he bit his li-

     “I can hear you biting your lip darling,” you remarked in a strained and agitated voice.

     “Good.”

     “I can also hear your flesh tearing and blood about to break through what little tissue you have left dearest,” you stated in an overly-and clearly exaggerated- sweet tone. Truth be told you liked the effect the dress you wore had on him but a bleeding lip might draw unwanted attention.

     “Don’t start licking your lips it’s not appropriate behavior in a place like this!”

     “Do you realize that it’s impossible for me to stop looking at you because of how beautiful you look tonight?” Bucky’s low tone sent a shiver down your spine and although you tried to hide it but nothing got past Bucky’s eyes when it came to you. Bucky adored the cute outfits you wore at the tower and when the two of you went on dates. Cute oversized sweaters with skirts, warm and cozy jackets, his favorite thing to see you in was his clothes of course, but that dress… _’That damn dress…’_

     Bucky was about to say something suggestive but shut his mouth when he saw you abruptly stop in place. You turned to look at him, then nodded in acknowledgment. 

_'You had found the target.’_

     You approached the elderly man with elegance and poise and he turned when you came into his line of vision and was taken aback by you. Your black dress and dark red lipstick screamed _‘murder’_ but your elegance and greeting smile said, _‘harmless’_. The two were a contradiction which he noticed right away. You held back a smirk of satisfaction as you watched him cower under your intense gaze. You heard his heart rate increase and his muscles clench in anxiety. The guests surrounding him turned to look at you with pleasant expressions but you heard all of their salivary glands stimulate, circulation of blood to their faces decrease, and their autonomic nervous system desperately work to dissipate their growing anxiety.

     _‘Something isn’t right…’_ you thought to yourself.

     According to the information you were given, there was only supposed to be one target. You disregarded your initial suspicion and focused on making a good impression.

     “Mr. Covito! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you sir,” you greeted with a charming smile which he bought. The man’s white mustache moved as he offered you a bright-but horrifically stiff-smile.

     “I’m honored to be known by such a beautiful young woman,” he thanked in a modest and humble tone, his words were laced with a thick Spanish accent. You heard Bucky growl in jealousy and curse under his breath as the soon-to-be dead man took your hand and placed a light kiss on the back of it.

     “Your concert hall is magnificent Mr. Covito I truly adore the interior it’s marvelous!” you complimented as you looked around the massive hall to prove your point. Your praise was nauseously exaggerated but your well versed lines seemed to be charming him.

     “Tis a humble concert hall but I appreciate your praise,” he remarked with a slight bow of the head.

     Your gaze lingered on him and after a few moments he cleared his dry throat then looked away and smoothed back his perfectly styled white hair. You heard blood rush to his face as a slight tint of red colored his olive colored cheeks and his sweat glands erratically produce sweat. His nervousness was as clear as day.

_‘What are you hiding old man…?’_

     He and his guests chatted about trivial matters and other silly things but you actively participated in the conversation. Little did they know, you were controlling the sound waves of your voice and splitting them in two; you were having one conversation with the group and another with Bucky. He was able to hear everything thanks to the microphone behind your ear and you would comment on any suspicious behavior you noticed from the guests. A staged laugh had just felt your lips when suddenly your world stopped. Silence had always been your greatest fear. You thrived in the world of sound and would die in a world of silence. For the first time in your life; you heard complete and total silence. Completely forgetting the mission, you whirled around to see the entity of silence behind you and came face to face with the palest eyes you had ever seen.

     “Ah you’ve finally arrived!” you heard Covito greet the man but you were too lost in his eyes to focus on the world around you.

     His irises and pupil were pale to the point of being colorless, from a distant it looked like he didn’t even have them. In the world of art, white was the absence of all color and the man in front of you was the embodiment of silence. You couldn’t hear anything from him, no heartbeat, no blood, no brain activity, nothing. You knew he was alive and human, but you immediately knew he wasn’t an ordinary human. If you were the embodiment of sound then he was the embodiment of silence. 

_'Oh no…’_

     “Everyone, I would like to introduce you to my son, Tysta,” Covito announced.

     The guests greeted the son of the target but he completely ignored the people around him. His focus was on you. You stared at him with wide eyes and froze under his stare. You stopped breathing as your body went into shock. You couldn’t move a muscle, and for the first time in your life, you were at the mercy of another person. Tears began to sting your eyes, his presence shook your soul to the core and rendered you powerless. A demented smirk slithered onto Tysta’s face as he watched your paralyzed form with a predatory gaze. He knew you were at his twisted mercy and loved it.

     “And who is this ravishing young woman?” Tysta cooed in a deep voice as he reached out to take your cold hand.

      Before he could touch you, you felt a strong and familiar pair of arms wrap around your paralyzed body and pull you against a hard chest.

     “My wife,” Bucky growled through clenched teeth as he glared daggers at the white eyed man. Bucky had seen the effect the accursed creature had had on you and bolted to your rescue. He knew from your reaction that the man was far from a normal human.

     “My my, aren’t you a lucky man?” Tysta complimented as his colorless eyes roamed over your motionless body. Bucky wanted nothing more than to cut out the smirking lips of the vile man but your wellbeing was Bucky’s first priority.

     “My wife isn’t feeling well, if you will please excuse us,” Bucky pardoned and didn’t even wait for the other guests to respond.

      He quickly scooped you into his arms then calmly walked away. All eyes were on him as he carried your stiff form from the ballroom and although he should have been more discreet, he couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. The super soldier quickly glanced down at your motionless form; your lips were parted but your chest was still. 

_'She isn’t breathing.’_

     Once he was out of eyesight, Bucky broke out into a sprint. He scaled the stairs leading up to where the musicians were. His first choice was to take you outside where there was privacy, but then he remembered how still the night was. Bucky knew that you needed to be around as much sound as possible. The stairs were endless and the stairway was silent and devoid of all sound. He knew from your paling skin and the limpness of your body, you weren’t going to make it. The super soldier muttered a thousand curses under his breath then cupped your head and pressed it to his chest. He prayed his erratic heartbeat would keep death at bay until he could get you to the musicians; but it wasn’t enough. In pure desperation, Bucky began to speak to your unconscious form.

     “Damn (Y/N) did I tell you how drop dead gorgeous you look tonight? I love your big sweaters and messy buns but hell you look so damn beautiful tonight dollface,” Bucky spoke loudly as he panted for breath. He saw your paled fingers twitch then continued to ramble.

     “(Y/N) let’s get that Thai food you wanted. Sorry I said I wanted to eat…you know, but you are my one and only weakness.”

     “Think of next week (Y/N). You spent days deciding what flowers you wanted and finally found some you liked. If you like the Thai food from that restaurant we’ll have them cater ‘kay?” the love of your life told your dying body.

     Your hand fell lifelessly to your side as your eyes closed, then Bucky broke.

     “Just don’t leave me (Y/N),” Bucky begged as he pressed your head closer to his chest. He had finally found a door then kicked it open. He winced as a boom of sound assaulted his ears but knew the music would save you…if you were still…

 

_Your head laid against a warm chest and the warmth radiating from it helped soothe your paralyzed body. Nothing and everything seemed to exist but regardless you ceased to have contact with your world and the real world._

_Your red and agitated eyes fluttered closed, then you heard the most beautiful sound in the world; a heartbeat. You poured all your shattered senses together to focus on the steady sound; but it wasn’t enough. You felt yourself drifting further and further from reality. The void you were falling towards had almost consumed you but then you heard a voice. It was muffled but the sound stirred you and you felt yourself being pulled back to reality. The sound waves from the voice shook and you wondered why they were so uneven. It began to bother you, it was too chaotic, so you allowed yourself to fall back into the void. But something kept you tied to the voice and heartbeat, they were so familiar. Unfortunately, you didn’t have the strength to focus and felt yourself drifting back. Before the void could consume you, a sudden burst of sound yanked you back to the world of the living._

 

     A deep and desperate gasp shook your body as your lungs greedily consumed the oxygen they had been deprived of. You gasped as your body spasmed and hastily took in your surroundings. It was dark but you were able to see that you were in the corner of a long circular row. A handsome and painfully familiar face was in front of you, his rough but warm hands cupped your face and you melted into his touch. His eyes were red and puffy and when you had both feet in reality, you were finally able to register his words.

     “(Y/N)! Oh thank God!” Bucky cried out when you looked at him. He pulled you painfully close to his hard chest as he kissed the top of your head repeatedly.

     “Bucky…” you called in a raspy voice.

     He cupped the back of your head as he hooked his arms around your waist. You closed your heavy eyes to focus on his racing heartbeat and swore you felt a few drops of water land on your head. When your body had calmed and you had mentally stabilized, Bucky pulled you back to cup your face. You smiled warmly at him then placed your hands on top of his. Before you could say anything, Bucky’s soft and warm lips crashed onto yours. You were surprised at first but immediately met his lips with just as much passion.

     Bright lights exploded in your mind as Bucky’s lips expertly glided against yours in heated passion. He cupped the back of your head then snaked his metal hand down the line of your spine to rest on the small of your back. Your backless dress allowed you to feel the coolness of his metal digits, the contrast of his cold fingers against your heated skin was intoxicating.

     “Don’t ever leave me (Y/N),” Bucky pled as he pressed his burning body against yours.

     Your fingernails dug into his scalp and the growl that erupted from deep within his throat made your body tremble. Bucky ran his sinfully skilled hands up and down the curves of your body as he nipped your jaw and slowly worked his way to your throat. He slowly pushed the straps of your dress down your shoulders and you cried out when he sucked on the sweet spot of your neck.

     “Never,” you promised as he ran his human hand up the back of your thigh and his tongue slid into your mouth. Your back arched as you allowed him to glide his tongue against yours and dominate the kiss.

     The two of you pulled apart to catch your breath and calm the erratic beating of your hearts. Once the passion had died down and he regained some self-control, Bucky pulled you into his lap and placed tender kisses all over the side of your neck. You wrapped your arms around his neck and rested your cheek on the top of his head. You felt his kisses falter and stroked his hair when you realized why.

     “No worries Buck, I’m still here,” you reassured in a soft and gentle voice.

     You pulled his head back to look into his eyes then combed your fingers through his messy hair when he hesitated. When he finally looked up your heart broke. 

 _‘I really did scare him…’_ you thought as you wiped away the streaks of tears that remained on his cheeks.

      Your own tears began to form when Bucky placed a soft kiss on your lips. You smiled as you looked down at him and returned his gentle kiss. Bucky smiled then pulled you back to his warm body. The two of you embraced for what seemed like hours as the musicians around you continued their song. You felt him angrily nip the base of your neck then you pulled away to understand why.

     “You’re going to be in big trouble if you ever scare me like that again,” he scolded as he gently bit the love mark he had left on your neck. You giggled at his promise to punish you and knew it was an empty threat. The worst he’d do was not allow you to wear his clothes (then again that would be absolutely horrible).

     “Okay, I promise I won’t,” you reassured in a teasing voice.

     “You better.”

     He looked up then kissed your lips one last time before scooping you into his arms and carrying you to a louder but better hidden part of the row. You closed your eyes to immerse yourself in the sound, the music healed you and helped you reach a functioning level. Once you were at one hundred percent, Bucky asked the question that hung heavy in the air;

     “(Y/N), what happened?” he asked in concern. You took a deep breath, then began to explain what many could never comprehend.

     “For people like me there are three worlds; the world of sound, the real world, then the world of silence,” you began to explain.

     “It is only possible to be part of this world then one other world and it is impossible to be part of all three. Sound and silence are opposites thus one will always be the weakness of the other.”

     “I am part of this world and the world of sound. Thus I cannot exist without sound and my weakness is silence,” you explained and hoped it made sense. Bucky couldn’t grasp what it was like to be part of two worlds but he understood everything else. He listened intently and took in everything you said.

     “Sound dies when there is silence whereas silence dies with sound. I am a being of sound. That man Tysta almost killed me because…”

     “He is a being of silence,” Bucky finished in understandment.

      You nodded gravely and both of you finally understood how dangerous the mission truly was. It was dangerous enough before all this. You were the most powerful card in the deck but now that that Tysta guy was around… He wasn’t even in the info you were given for the mission. Bucky was about to call the team to let them know you and he were going to abort the mission when you stopped him.

     “No. We have to get that flashdrive Bucky. It contains plans and blueprints for weapons that will replicate the powers of the Tesseract. If we don’t get it, a lot of people are going to die Buck,” you spoke in a stern voice to convey just how crucial the completion of the mission was.

     _‘A lot of people are going to die Buck.'_

     The ex-assassin smiled to himself and knew there was no way to argue with hardheaded idiots who said selfless things like that.

     “We have to complete this mission, there’s no backing down. Covito is the target but his son is the secret weapon, we have to take both out.”

     “ I’ll take Tysta, you take Covito,” you stated in a determined voice.

     Bucky intertwined his fingers with yours then kissed the back of your hand.

     “I’ll never leave your side (Y/N),” Bucky swore in a sincere tone, and you knew his promise was eternal. You smiled sweetly at him then placed a soft kiss on his lips.

     “I have the ability to store sound within me, then channel it through me as a way to revive myself. Similar to taking a breath before going under water,” you explained as you looked around the room for an instrument.

     You needed as much contact with sound as possible if you were going to have to be in contact with a being of silence. You found a Viola laying on an empty chair (the musician probably went to the restroom or something) then took the stringed instrument, re-tuned it, and began to play it. Bucky admired you as he watched you played the Viola. You had your eyes closed but every note was perfectly played and you made the other professional musicians look like beginners.

      Your eyes fluttered open when you had had your fill of sound. Pressing a gentle kiss to the wood of the Viola, you thanked the stringed instrument then gently placed it back on the chair before the owner returned. Your shoulders relaxed as your neck straightened and you held your head high. The fire that burned in your eyes was proof that you were at the pinnacle of your power. Tysta was a powerful enemy, but you knew he would be weak from all the sound he had been surrounded by in the ballroom. As the two of you descended the stairs, you and Bucky straighten your wrinkled clothes and soothed your messy hair. You pulled the collar of your dress up to cover the love mark Bucky had given you. Your beloved had always loved leaving his mark on you but knew you had to cover it for the mission.

     Once you had returned to the ballroom, Bucky offered you his arm and you placed your hand in the crook of his elbow. He placed his gloved hand on top of yours as the two of you approached Covito and his guests. You immediately felt the effects Tysta had on you but noticed they were weaker than before. As you and Bucky approached the group you heard your enemy’s muscles contract then stiffen. _‘N_ _ow it’s your turn to suffer,’_ you spitefully thought as your glare burned into his body. Covito was the first to acknowledge your return.

     “Ah so good to see you again!” the target exclaimed with a staged smile, the spasms of his facial muscles made it clear that he was extremely uncomfortable.

     “My dear if I may ask, what ailed you? You gave your husband quite a scare!”

     It was a loaded question and he had purposely asked it.

     Tysta stared at you in complete silence as he waited for your answer. He wanted to confirm that you were indeed what he thought you were. You chose your words carefully, your answer would be the difference between life and death.

     “Thank you Mr. Covito I apologize for my sudden illness. I do believe I had a bit too many glasses of your fine wine,” you lied with a light hearted laugh which everyone echoed. The guests chatted amongst themselves then Tysta finally spoke to you.

     “I apologize for my rudeness but I never caught your name,” your enemy remarked in a polite but obviously stale voice.

     You noted that he didn’t talk much, it seemed that the sound of his own voice affected him. You held back a smirk of satisfaction, if there was one thing you were good at, it was chatting up a storm for your own benefit. The question was also loaded and Bucky noted how all the guests had hushed their voices to eavesdrop.

     “Celesta, Celesta Nocturne,” you lied with a smile as you gave him the fake alias that was assigned for the mission.

     “And this is my husband, Castillo Nocturne,” you introduced Bucky to the group under his assigned alias. He gave a respectable nod to the group and watched in satisfaction as Tysta squirmed.

     “My my, such musical names!” Covito exclaimed and you gently laughed at his remark.

     You participated in the group conversation as much as possible and manipulated the waves so you could also have a conversation with Bucky. All the sound seemed to be having an effect on your enemy. You heard his body begin to strain and weaken and knew if he was going to pull a move, it was going to be soon.

     “Mrs. Nocturne would you like to meet the musicians? I’m sure with your knowledge of music they would love to speak with you,” Tysta proposed in an overly formal voice. He was weakening and knew it would be best to seclude, then kill you.

_‘Not if I kill you first.’_

     “Why yes sir I would love to!” you cheered as you accepted his challenge. You moved forward to follow the soon to be dead man but then felt Bucky tighten his grip on your hand and gently pull you back. Your beloved glared into the man’s colorless eyes and knew what he intended to do with you.

     “Mr. Nocturne,” Tysta addressed Bucky who intensified his scowl, “Would you mind if I took your wife?” the being of silence cooed as he made his true intentions blatantly obvious to the super soldier.

     “Not at all. I’ll be coming for her shortly so enjoy the time you still have,” Bucky stated calmly as he foretold his enemy’s fate.

     A genuine laugh left the enemies’s lips then he gave Bucky a cocky glare, silently challenging him as he turned his back and began walking away. You looked at Bucky from the corner of your eye and gave him a small, reassuring smile then looked back to Tysta with a subtle death glare.

     Now was the time to begin phase two. Bucky would exit the building then follow you from the outside and keep track of you via the tracking devise you had hidden under your dress. The room where the flashdrive was hidden was windowless so he’d have to enter through the window that was three rooms down from the one you and the flashdrive would be in. You were to get the flashdrive then Bucky would clear the way to your escape route. Bucky knew you could go toe to toe with the being of silence but still worried, you were the love of his life and he’d rather die than lose you.

     Tysta opened the door for you and walked beside you down the long, warmly lit hall. You quickly noticed that the further you walked down the hall, the quieter it became. You had foreseen this, and knew that he would become more powerful the longer he was in a soundless environment. You on the other hand, would be in danger. Instead of using the sound you had stored, you decided to use your voice as your weapon and source of sound. You began to gently hum a tune and pretended not to notice Tysta glare at you from the corner of his colorless eye. Had you not been so close to him, you wouldn’t have been able to tell he was looking at you. You continued to hum then began to gently sing and heard the man’s muscles contract as he became more and more uncomfortable. Then you decided to step it up a notch.

     “It’s so frustrating to not be able to remember the words to a song don’t you agree sir?” you innocently commented. Before he had time to reply you began to recite the lyrics of the song you had been humming.

     “Are you familiar with the song? I cannot remember the lyrics at all!” you exclaimed in a disheartened tone.

     Tysta remained silent and you knew he was trying to conserve energy. You on the other hand were thriving on the sound of your own voice; until he touched your arm. His touch drained a huge amount of energy from you and your steps faltered. Tysta reached out to help you but you politely refused, jokingly saying that your husband would kill any man who touched you (it wasn’t a lie).

     “Mrs. Nocturne, you seem unwell, is something wrong?” Tysta asked in fake concern.

     “Thank you sir I am quite alright. I am just greatly anticipating meeting the musicians!” you lied as you dragged out your words as much as possible.

     “Actually Celesta, I was going to ask if you would like to see my personal quarters. I have a large and diverse range of instruments that I know you’ll love.”

     You noticed that he had spoken more words than before and knew that the silence of the hall was feeding his growing power. But you knew his room was where the flashdrive was, and you had no choice but to agree. He did nothing to hide the smirk that stretched across his face and you couldn’t help but shiver in disgust at the way the smile twisted the olive skin of his angular face. _‘His face wasn’t made to smile…’_

     “Here we are,” Tysta whispered as he unlocked the large ivory door.

     He opened the door and let you enter first. The door silently closed behind you and you knew the battle for your life had begun. But you knew you had the upper ha-

     You froze in place when you took in everything and realized that you were surrounded by the one thing you hated most; silence. You remained calm but began to panic when you couldn’t even hear the beating of your own heart. The room was filled with all sorts of things but none of them made a sound. The clock didn’t tick nor did the carpet crunch under your feet. You rubbed your fingers together and even they made no sound. The silence was beginning to take a toll on you and you could feel the life being sucked from your body. You needed to get the flashdrive then get the hell out of this damn room. You didn’t even hear Tysta standing behind you until his cold finger brushed against the back of your neck. Whirling around you came face to face with his eerily, colorless eyes.

     _“I know who you are,”_ his lips moved but no sound came out. Your eyes widened as panic set in and your heart went into overdrive.

    _“The last being of sound.”_

 _“I thought we killed all your kind millenniums ago,”_ you snarled as you glared at him and panicked even more when no sound came from your mouth.

    _“You did, but my father was a distant descendant and I was blessed with the gene; the power of silence,”_ his lips stopped moving to twist into a smirk when he saw just how powerless you were. The accursed man reached out to trace the line of your throat as he bore his colorless eyes into yours.

   _“I’m going to make you beg for death my darling (Y/N). I will mutilate and destroy your ears so that no sound can ever save you,”_ he silently growled as he clenched your throat. You felt his iron grip clamp your windpipes but you couldn’t move.

     _“But I won’t kill you right away, no my dear. I’ll make you watch as I torture your beloved husband till he begs for death. I will make. Him. SUFFER.”_

     An animalistic rage set your soul ablaze and yanked you back to reality. No one, absolutely _NO ONE_ , would ever hurt your Bucky again.

     **“I’LL KILL YOU BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN TOUCH HIM!”** your scream pierced through the silent air and sent Tysta tumbling back as he held his throbbing head in his hands.

     He howled in pain and his own cries only intensified his suffering. Your body moved on its own as your hand flew up to grip his throat and slam his body against the wall. You savagely dug your fingernails into his airways and didn’t stop until you felt his filthy blood drip down your hand. You pushed him down the wall until he was on his knees then brought your face close to his so he could see that he had mocked and awoken the rage of death herself.

     “I WILL FEED THE ROTTING FLESH OF YOUR DEAD BODY TO THE HELLHOUNDS BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN LAY YOUR FILTHY HANDS ON HIM!” you bellowed and made sure your every word inflicted the worst pain imaginable to the man you had on his knees.

     “I AM THE LAST BEING OF SOUND AND I WILL PROTECT MY HUSBAND TILL I BREATHE MY LAST DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” you screeched your swear directly into his ear as you burrowed your nails deeper into his already shredded flesh.

     Tysta sobbed and thrashed his body in agony but it still wasn’t enough for you. You wanted him dead. Laying in a pool of his own vile blood and rotting at your feet. You’d make him beg like a dog for mercy. No one threatened your Bucky and walked away alive.

     “YOU’RE A DEAD MAN!” you roared but before you could deliver your final blow, Tysta took a hidden blade from his sleeve and slit the flesh of your waist.

     The gutting knife tore through the lace of your dress and blood violently gushed from the open gash. You cried out in pain as you fell to the floor. Although your cry inflicted pain on your enemy; it wasn’t enough. He towered over you as you laid on your side and tried to slow the bleeding. His foot collided with your stomach and you flew forward from the sheer force of his kick. You coughed and gasped for air as you laid on your back and stared up at the ceiling, your vision was blurring from the loss of blood but from the corner of your eye you could see Tysta slowly approaching you. Like a lion slowly stalking towards an injured gazelle, ready to finish the kill but taking his sweet time.

     His colorless eyes bore into yours as he slammed his foot onto your chest. The air from your lungs was forced out of your broken body, leaving you gasping for air under his foot. The silence of the room was giving him the power he needed to defeat you. Death was already knocking on your door when he lowered himself to stroke your cheek, he focused all his weight on the foot he had on your chest, leaving you wheezing for air. His face was inches from yours, he traced your lips with his ice cold thumb and you felt him drain more of your dwindling energy. Tysta slowly brought his hands to cover your ears then smirked.

     _“You’ll die in silence, and he’ll die screaming,”_ he soundlessly growled.

     You mustered every ounce of strength you had left to grab the knife you hid in your bra, then stabbed him in ear. The accursed man fell back and screamed in pain which fed your dwindling power. You clung to a chair as you slowly brought yourself to your feet but you were too weak and fell to the floor with a harsh thud. Dragging yourself to his desk, you tore it apart until you found the flashdrive. You quickly stuffed it into your bra then limped your way toward the door; but you never made it.

     Tysta grabbed your ankle then yanked you to the floor. He straddled your broken and bleeding form then jerked your head back, you saw the glint of his blood-soaked gutting knife then knew this was the end for you. Tears began to form in your eyes, you wished you could have kissed him one last time. Your beloved Bu-

     A sudden explosion destroyed the walls of the entrance of the room and sent you and Tysta flying across it. You choked out a sob of pain then turned your head to see what had happened. Your vision was horrifically blurred but you could see him; your Bucky. His eyes widened in horror as he dropped his massive gun and ran to your side.

     “(Y/N)! (Y/N) I’m here doll just hang in there, stay with me (Y/N) you’re going to be okay just hang on,” Bucky rambled in panic.

     He quickly took off the jacket of his tuxedo then tore it to shreds, tying it around your waist to stop the blood. He gave you a light peck on the lips and apologized when you cried out in pain. He held you in his arms and in amidst of all the chaos, you felt safe in his warm embrace. You heard his voice muffle and your vision blur…maybe it really was your time to-

     An earsplitting siren shattered the stillness of the air. You heard Bucky wince at the intensity of the sound but it suddenly yanked you back to the living for the second time today. A few more wails of the siren and you were able to decently function.

     “Bucky, I have the drive, let’s get the hell out of here,” your voice was raspy but as the siren continued, you felt more and more energy pumping into you. Bucky nodded, scooped you into his arms, grabbed the massive gun he had thrown to the floor, then sprinted through the maze-like halls in search of the exit.

     “(Y/N) listen, everyone is armed. The guests, the waiters, the musicians, everyone. They were all heading to the room you were in but I was able to hold them off. (Y/N) I’m so sorry I didn’t get to you sooner,” he mourned as he kissed the top of your head. He was just about to turn a corner when he heard the pounding of footsteps. The super soldier turned his heel then sprinted in the other direction only to hear guns firing.

     “Shit, we’re surrounded,” Bucky cursed under his breath. You were about to speak but stopped when you heard the faint sound of music.

     “Bucky, run towards the music,” you requested in a slowly stabilizing voice. He changed his direction and did as you asked. He knew that the music would be the only way to make it out alive.

     The closer he ran towards the music the stronger you became. You realized that the music was coming from the speakers in the ceiling and was slowly growing louder. Another minute later you jumped out of Bucky’s arms and grabbed a gun lying next to a dead body. Your beloved smiled in relief then grabbed your chin and gave you a full mouthed kiss as you ran beside him. It was sloppy and your noses bumped against each other but after everything the two of you had been through, it was heavenly. You picked up the speed when you heard the shouts and firing grow louder. A cry left your lips when a bullet shot by your arm and took a strip of your flesh with it. A deadly growl erupted from Bucky’s throat then he quickly turned around to embed a bullet between the eyes of the person who had shot you.

     “Do you know where the exit is my love?” you asked as you panted for breath.

     “No,” Bucky sheepishly answered. You completely understood, the damn concert hall was a maze of death.

     After running for what felt like an eternity, you and Bucky ran into a dead end. The room had a high ceiling and the walls were made completely out of stain glass. The two of you whirled around when you heard the footsteps stop and several guns click. The group of armed guests, waiters, and musicians parted as Covito strolled forward. 

 _'Trapped like rats’_ the cocky target thought as he smirked in satisfaction at the pair of you.

     “I must unfortunately say that this is the end of the line for you Mr. and Mrs. Nocturne,” the target remarked in false pity. Bucky growled then wrapped his arm around your waist as the guns clicked.

     “Wait!”

     A voice hollered, everyone turned to see its owner and you groaned in annoyance. A horrifically mangled Tysta held together what was left of his ear as he limped towards the front of the group. Bucky glanced at you from the corner of his eyes and smirked in pride as admired the damage you had done to your enemy.

     “She’s _mine_ ,” the bleeding man growled as he snatched a gun from a guest and pointed it at you. You laughed as you watched him drag his shredded body to the front of the group.

     “How pathetic! You aren’t even strong enough to finish me with your powers! You’re a disgrace,” you bellowed and rejoiced in the pain your voice inflicted on him.

     His mutilated face twisted in rage at your insult then he rose the gun to shoot you but before he could, an ear piercingly loud song boomed through the room from the larger than life speakers that surrounded the glass room. Everyone winced at the intensity of the sound but you on the other hand…

     “Darling,” you cooed as you looked at Bucky from the corner of your eye.

     “Go start the car,” it was disturbing how eerily soft and calm your voice.

     “I got this,” you snarled as a vicious smirk stretched across your face. You bowed your head but held eye contact with Tysta.

     Bucky knew that look; you were about to unleash hell and leave no survivors. The ex-assassin whirled around then embedded multiple bullets into the glass and when it shattered, he jumped out, then sprinted as fast as he could away from the building.

     Once Bucky was a safe distance away, you allowed yourself the sweet pleasure of taking your revenge. Anyone who threatened to hurt your Bucky never walked away alive. You intensified your death glare and laughed in twisted satisfaction when you saw Tysta tremble in fear.

     “Tonight, silence dies,” you cooed in a sweet, yet horrifically twisted voice. Tysta's colorless eyes widened in fear as he realized what was to come.

     “FIRE!” Tysta ordered, but as soon as you took in a deep breath then opened your mouth; he knew it was all over.

     Bucky had almost reached the car when the sonic boom sent him flying forward. He fell to the ground and not even the lush green grass could break his fall. Bucky thought of all those who had taken the full blast of your scream and shivered in amazement as he realized just how powerful you were.

     The super soldier jerked his head back just in time to watch half of the concert hall explode and the other half go up in flames. Bucky’s attention turned back to his surroundings when he heard gunshots near him. There were armed guests in the parking lot that had been waiting for you in case you somehow got this far. Bucky jumped to his feet then ran through the maze of overturned cars before finally reaching the getaway car (which was thankfully still on the ground). He fumbled with the keys but was eventually able to unlock the door. Bucky turned when he heard you yelling, then went slack when he saw you.

     Your hair had fallen from its updo and flowed behind you as the wind pushed it from your face. You were covered in cuts and bruises and still bleeding but your dark red lipstick made it look like you were covered in the blood of your enemies (which you probably were). You held up the excess material of your death colored dress as you ran towards him while the concert hall behind you collapsed and was consumed by the flames. You looked like a Disney princess running towards him only you were covered in blood, had just killed over forty people, and had destroyed an entire concert hall (which was being consumed by flames as you ran towards him). But you were absolutely perfect in every way and Bucky openly swooned over you.

     “Start the car!” you hollered at the top of your lungs.

     You didn’t know why he was just standing there looking at you with a moonstruck expression, bullets were flying everywhere and you had just destroyed an entire concert hall! You needed to get out of here ASAP before their reinforcements came!

     Bucky finally snapped out of his daze when a bullet grazed your thigh. You stumbled forward but thanks to all the racket around you, you were able to absorb the sound and used its energy to partially close the wound. You continued running as Bucky placed a bullet between the eyes of your shooter. The ex-assassin jumped into the driver’s seat then froze.

     When you had finally reached the car, you swung the door of the passenger seat open, then threw yourself inside the ‘safety’ of the car. The car had a hard exterior but wasn’t completely bulletproof; you were still far from safe. You gritted your teeth and panted from the pain of your injuries but jerked your head back when you heard vehicles and gunshots quickly approaching you.

     “Bucky! Start the car we need to get out of here!” you demanded as you began to panic, they were closing in on you.

     You shot your head in his direction when he didn’t respond, he was just staring at the wheel. Calling his name again, he finally turned to you and gazed at your face with a blank expression.

     “(Y/N),” he began and you waited impatiently for him to finish.

     “I don’t know how to drive this car.”

     You looked at him with a mortified and perplexed expression, “What do you mean you don’t know how to drive the car how the hell did you get here?!”

     “Tony had set it on auto drive and I think that’s broken,” Bucky quickly explained as he nervously pressed every button he could see.

     You slammed his face into the wheel just in time to save him from being shot by a bullet. Bucky groaned and held his bleeding nose then looked at you with an apologetic expression. Before he could say anything you snatched the key from him, plugged it into the admission, started the car, then slammed your foot on the gas. Bucky once again flew forward and hissed in pain as more blood poured from his already broken nose. But he didn’t say anything, he knew you were fuming with anger.

     “How the hell do you not know how to drive a car?!” you screeched as you gripped the wheel and manned the petals from the space between the two front seats. The gear stick was keeping you from properly controlling the swerving car since you were literally sitting on it.

     You pulled Bucky’s head to your chest (he was grateful it hadn't been the wheel) just in time to save him yet again from another bullet; then you had had enough.

     “Bucky take the wheel,” you ordered.

     You climbed into his lap (which he would have enjoyed had it not been for the fact that he was being shot at) lowered the window, then stuck your entire upper body out of it. Your action made Bucky panic and almost run the car into a tree but you slammed your heel against the wheel and swerved the car away from the tree. Unfortunately, you weren’t able to drive the car while defending you and Bucky from the quickly approaching enemy cars.

     “Bucky take the damn wheel!” you hollered then he did as he was told.

     You stuck your upper body out of the car, the speed you were driving at made it difficult to see but the wind and tires of the car would help generate sound.

     “How the hell do you not know how to drive a car?! You all had cars back in the fifties right?!” you yelled and used the soundwaves to generate a sonic scream which sent several cars flying back while others exploded.

     “Of course we did! But I never had the money to buy one and Hydra doesn’t exactly give driving lessons!” Bucky yelled so you could use the sound to continued deflecting the barrage of bullets flying towards the two of you.

     You felt yourself falling out of the car and screamed but before you could hit the road, Bucky wrapped his metal arm around your waist. More than half your body was hanging out of the car and you were terrified. Bucky on the other hand was rather content with your current position since your bottom was right next to his face (which he would have enjoyed had it not been for the fact that he was being shot at).

     The road led to a heavily wooded area which would lessen your powers since the trees would interfere with your soundwaves. You felt yourself weakening, you had used far too much energy and knew you were almost at your body’s limit. There were about ten cars left, their supplies of bullets seemed endless and you knew you had to finish them before you passed out from exhaustion. There wasn’t enough sound so you had to improvise.

     “Bucky! I need more sound!” You yelled as you twisted your body to look at him.

     “The horn Bucky! Honk the horn!"

     Easier said than done. He was the only reason you hadn’t fallen out of the car so moving that arm wasn’t an option and his other hand was on the wheel. In pure desperation, Bucky moved his hand from the steering wheel and placed it on the horn, hoping maybe he could control the car with the center of the wheel. The super soldier’s idea was immediately proved as pure stupidity when the lack of control swerved the wheel and your body was almost crushed by a tree.

     “Both hands on the wheel dearest! I’d prefer not to die by being crushed by a tree!”

     Not knowing what else to do, he kept his hand on the steering wheel and slammed his elbow repeatedly into the horn. You immediately felt a burst of energy surge through you. You collected all the sound you could, then threw your hand forward, sending five cars flying into the air then watched as they hit the ground then crashed and burned. You were panting and felt yourself growing weak but there were still five more cars in pursuit. The sound around you wasn’t enough, you needed more! An idea popped into your head and although you’d pay for it next week, you knew you had no other choice.

     “Bucky! On the count of three I need you to pinch my ass!” you yelled and knew you’d regret this for the rest of your days. It was the most embarrassing thing you had ever said but if you wanted to make it out alive, it needed to be done. You needed sound, and although he didn’t know it and part of you felt bad, you wouldn’t be the only one screaming.

     Bucky had always been prepared for everything, but he never saw that coming. He felt guilty.

     “But I wanted to do that next week!” he hollered back.

     “We aren’t going to make it to next week if I don’t have the sound I need to finish this! I know you’ve been staring at my ass all night! Just do it!” you demanded as you felt yourself unable to focus properly. Bucky hesitated, it wasn’t very becoming of a gentleman but since your lives depended on it…

     “On the count of three!”

     “One!”

     Bucky snaked down his metal hand to rest on your bottom and couldn’t help but blush.

     “Two!”

     You moved your foot behind Bucky’s head then whispered a quick apology for what you were about to do.

     “THREE!”

     The sound you made when he pinched you combined with the sound he made when you slammed his face into the steering wheel (for the third time) with your heel was enough to channel the sound from your environment and into your scream. The sonic scream exploded the remaining cars then sent their remains flying backwards.

     Your scream had taken all your remaining strength but before you could collapse and fall to the harsh gravel road, Bucky pulled you back into the car. He settled you on his lap and you allowed your eyes to close only when you were sure he could control the car. Bucky turned on the radio and set it to a classical station so you could use the sound to close your wounds and recharge.

     After an hour of speeding, Bucky finally slowed the car and enjoyed the scenery. The gravel road was lined by mighty trees since it probably cut through a forest. He looked down at your resting form and smiled as he admired how beautiful you looked in the moonlight. Bucky moved his hand to touch your face.

     “Both hands on the wheel my darling,” you reminded him gently just in time to save the car from hitting a tree.

     Bucky harshly swirled the car but was able to stay on the road. You sighed then gently as you rubbed your cheeks against the material of his white shirt, savoring the heat of his body. Another hour later Bucky pulled over and parked the car (with your help) in an open area of the woods away from the prying eyes of those who might be on road. Once the car was safely parked, Bucky fell back on the driver’s seat then exhaled a deep breath. You laughed when you heard all the tension from his stiff muscles leave.

     “How the hell did we survive that?” Bucky asked in an astounded tone which made you giggle.

     “We’ve been through worse,” you nonchalantly commented with your eyes closed and Bucky shrugged in agreement. You lifted your head from his chest to look at him then winced.

     “I’m sorry about your nose Buck,” you apologized when you looked up at him and saw the dry blood covering his face and shirt.

     “Does it look bad?” Bucky asked in a pitiful voice as he touched his nose then winced from the pain.

     “No my darling it makes you look very handsome,” you teased with a wink and grin. Bucky had every intention of returning your tease.

     “Look at you doll, covered in blood and wearing a dress stolen from death itself. I’ve never seen anything more deadly yet ravishing in my entire life. Hard to keep my hands to myself,” Bucky confessed in a low voice as he gazed down at your face. You shifted so that you were seated properly in his lap and his face was below yours.

     “Then don’t,” you sensually whispered as your lips gently pressed against his. Bucky met your kiss with just as much passion but pulled away before it could escalate. You pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes.

     “The charming Bucky Barnes can resist temptation? That’s the most shocking thing that’s happened tonight!” you exclaimed in surprise. Bucky playfully grinned then took your left hand and kissed the engagement band on your ring finger.

     “I can wait one more week.”

     You gently smiled when you remembered the happiness that was to come in just a few days.

     “Then I can have you to myself every night for the rest of eternity,” Bucky murmured into your neck as he rubbed his cheek against your flesh. You giggled as his stubble tickled your skin.

     “Yes my darling you will have me every morning and every night for the rest of eternity just as I will have you,” you laughed as you gave him a quick kiss. You settled in his lap then rested your head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around you. The two of you stayed like that until Bucky felt you drifting off.

     “Did you still want to go eat at that Thai place?” Bucky asked as you stirred in his lap then looked at the time.

     “Nah, it’s four in the morning and I just want to go home,” you answered in a drowsy voice.

     “Are you okay with driving us home Buck?”

     “Only if you stay in my lap.”

     You rolled your eyes as you heard him smirk but laughed at his request.

     “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be my love.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super long one-shot but I loved writing this piece it was so much fun!  
> Regarding the chapter:  
> -I was writing this when the Civil War trailer came out and all I want for Christmas is for Bucky Barnes to be safe and happy!!! //sobs ;A;  
> -I've been getting many messages asking whether or not I right smut and the answer is no. I'm asexual and don't feel comfortable writing anything smutty.The suggestive contents in this chpt is as smutty as I get.
> 
> -Here is a picture of your dress (remember that yours is black!):  
> http://www.dhresource.com/albu_880199464_00-1.0x0/2014-new-high-neck-long-sleeve-wedding-dresses.jpg 
> 
> -Alias:  
> • Celesta- musical instrument similar to a piano  
> • Nocturne- a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.  
> • Bucky’s alias: Alberto Castillo was a prominent Argentine tango singer and actor.  
> • Tysta= silence in Swedish  
> • Ellen C. Covito (born 1974) is an Argentinian composer.
> 
> I did a lot of research for this chpt and am super happy with how it turned out. I have played the Viola for four years and my mother is from Argentina so that's where that came from!


	4. Experiment Subject

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After giving himself a few moments of preparation, Bucky peeled his eyes open and looked down at the cause of his future pain.

 

'Experiment Subject'

_Well Worth the Pain_

 

                Bucky had been rendered powerless. He hadn’t been in a situation like this in years. The thought of what was to come sent a chill of fear down the ex-assassin’s spine. The super soldier breathed deeply and slowly to keep himself calm as he gripped the arms of the chair. He bit the inside of his cheek when he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. Bucky shut his eyes and gripped the arms of the chair even tighter as he heard the person preparing everything they needed for their cruel experiment. The ex-assassin knew what was to come, he knew that it would torture his body and scar his mind for eternity, but knew it had to be done. Bucky’s heart stopped when he heard glass being placed on the table in front of him, _‘Let the experiment and torture begin’._

     “Bon appetite my darling!” You cheered as you placed a plate of your newest _‘creation’_ in front of Bucky.

     The Avengers had evacuated Stark tower the moment you had set foot in the kitchen, all claiming they had prior obligation but in reality they wanted to be as far away from the kitchen as possible. They left their dear teammate Bucky to fend for himself without a second thought. Your cooking was barely digestible but it was your beaming smile that was the death blow. It was a harmless hobby you had recently started and no one had the heart to turn you down when you offered them some of your cooking. You would smile brightly as they took the plate then excitedly hop in place when they tasted the food, it was only because of your sparkling eyes that each and every one of the Avengers swallowed your monstrous creations.

     Another alien invasion wouldn’t kill the team; your cooking would. You had almost sent Steve to the hospital after putting too much Camino powder in your Spanish rice. Natasha later scolded you for feeding such a spicy dish to a senior citizen.

     After eating your lasagna which was made with three pounds of cheese, Tony learned that he was indeed lactose intolerant.

     Sam smiled when he had taken a bite of your homemade bread but everyone in the room heard the sickening crack that came afterwards and the dentist appointment he scheduled later that week.

     Wanda had proved that she was the kindest and strongest of them all by eating not one, but two slices of your cake, the one where you misread the recipe and added four cups of salt instead of sugar. Her heart was strong but her stomach was weak and brought back up the horrible food it couldn’t digest. You offered to make her jello but Pietro quickly and kindly turned down your offer, knowing that your jello would probably kill his sister.

     Even Thor had fallen victim to your cooking. After a bowl of your Menudo, he went back to Asgard (many begged to go with him) and didn’t come back till a week later.

     The moment you stepped into the kitchen was the moment the Avengers ran out of the building. Everyone would always leave; except Bucky. No matter what he was always there to try your cooking. You were his sun and stars and he loved you with a burning passion. Unfortunately, your cooking was taking a toll on his body and he knew if it wasn’t for the super soldier serum, he would have dropped dead a long time ago.

     One day he spent hours in the restroom only to come out and see Steve waiting for him at the end of the hall. His best friend approached him, placed his hand on his shoulder, then looked Bucky dead in the eye.

     “Buck. I know you love (Y/N), but you should probably see a doctor,” Steve stated in a serious tone. Bucky tried to brush off the topic and make a joke about it.

     “It’s nothing to be ashamed of Buck, everyone else has been to the doctor!” Steve tried to reasoning but Bucky knew he’d be alright.

     Yes, your food was horrible but you were Bucky’s wife and he wanted you to be happy. If cooking made you happy, then he’d be there to eat every bite of what you cooked. Which is how he ended up in the situation he was in now. He had his eyes closed but could smell the sweetness of the dish, but he knew from experience that a sweet smell meant nothing.

     After giving himself a few moments of preparation, Bucky peeled his eyes open and looked down at the cause of his future pain.

     “It’s Carrot Cake Cheese Danish Pastry. I read that they’re really popular in Brooklyn right now and I wanted to give you a small piece of home.” Bucky was touched by the sweetness of your intentions which made him all the more determined to eat all of it.

     “Thank you (Y/N). It looks amazing,” Bucky complimented as he looked down at the pastry. It wasn’t a lie, the pastry was a pretty light gold and had glazed icing swirls on top. Overall he was pretty sure he could keep it down.

     “I hope you like it! I added a secret ingredient!” You cheered with a wink.

 _“Fuck,”_ Bucky thought as his heart sank and his stomach churned.

     “Is it ‘love’?” The super soldier asked in a strained and hopeful voice.

     “Aw how’d you know?” You asked with a pout. Bucky looked up and wearily smiled at you. Never in all his life had he ever been so grateful.

     You excitedly watched as Bucky took his fork then sliced into the pastry. He said a quick prayer before lifting the fork to his mouth. Before the super soldier could open his mouth, the other Avengers walked into the kitchen then froze in place when they saw you. All of their faces twisted in pity when they saw Bucky sitting at the table with a plate of your cooking in front of him.

     “Looks like we came just in time,” Tony unintentionally blurted out in a grave tone when he saw Bucky holding the fork to his mouth.

     “Hey guys!” You beamed in a cheery voice. “Sorry I didn’t make some for everyone, I made the pastry special for Bucky but if you want I can make more!”

     The team loudly and quickly assured you that it wasn’t necessary and that they had had a meal while out. After the message was received loud and clear, all eyes fell upon your experimental subject; your beloved husband. He could feel the waves of pity emitting from the team and hesitated but after looking at your shining face, he was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice and later pay the price. If eating the pastry made you happy, he was willing to do it.

     His body reacted before his mind could regret it and he ate the slice of pastry that was on the fork. The world went still as the team watched anxiously for his reaction. Would a cute pastry made by a cute girl bring the mighty Winter Soldier to his knees?

     After letting the pastry sit in his mouth, Bucky took a bite then closed his eyes. Panic filled the room as the infamous assassin knitted his eyebrows together, leaned forward to rest his elbow on the table, then held the bridge of his nose as he bowed his head. The team watched in horror as they assumed the worst. Tony was ready to tell F.R.I.D.A.Y. to call the paramedics and Pietro was ready to go fetch a bucket. The team expected the worst and was prepared to help Bucky if he needed it.

     “Buck?” Steve cautious called his friend as he took a small step forward to catch his best friend in case he fainted or something.

     “H-How does it taste?” You asked in a small and nervous voice as you bit your nail.

     “Fucking delicious,” Bucky muttered in a shaky, but completely sincere tone. He was on the verge of tears, happily knowing that he wouldn’t be spending the next week in the restroom or emergency room. Shock filled the room but you hopped in place, overjoyed that your husband enjoyed the pastry you had made from scratch.

     “It really is, I love it (Y/N),” Bucky smiled as he looked up at you. A bright smile graced your face at his sincere compliment and you exploded in a fit of giddiness when he sliced the pastry and took another bite.

     “Is it really?” Clint asked in total and utter belief.

     “Yes,” Bucky replied with a small laugh, he knew it was difficult to believe but your pastry was magnificent.

     “Do you want some?” Bucky offered the team and they all declined. They would wait a week and see what happened.

     The team left the kitchen to go about their own business as you sat in a chair across from Bucky. You watched him with stars in your eyes.

     “I love you so much Bucky,” you confessed in a dreamy voice. Your husband looked up from his plate and gave you a questioning look.

     “I know I’m a horrible cook, and I don’t blame everyone for not wanting to eat what I make. But no matter what monstrosities I create, you’re always there to try _and_ finish them. It means the world to me Buck,” you thanked as small beads of tears began to form in your eyes. You truly were grateful to him. Bucky smiled at your confession then laughed when you got up from your seat to capture him in a tight embrace. The gleeful man pulled you into his lap then placed a gentle kiss to your lips.

     “I love you more than anything (Y/N)” Bucky proclaimed as he kissed you again and you did nothing to hide the blush that stained your cheeks.

     “That, and I didn’t marry you for your cooking,” Bucky teased with a laugh then kissed you one last time before taking a piece of the Carrot Cake Cheese Danish Pastry and holding it up to your lips. You took the pastry into your mouth then hummed in delight as its sweetness filled your mouth.

     Bucky lovingly watched you as you laughed and smiled. If eating your cooking made you happy, he was more than willing to be your experimental subject and eat everything you gave him. Isn’t that what husbands are for?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on true events. Yes, every single 'disaster' was done by my mother (bless her heart!) when she and my father were newlyweds.  
> I needed Bucky fluff so ta-da! I'm writing several pieces right now (oneshots and chpts for TTAFH and TDWS) so posting will be slow till I finish. Heads up! Angst is on its way! //evil laughter >:3c  
> Comment/Kudo to let me know if you liked it! :DD


	5. Dark Past AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m just a humble gardener,” you answered sweetly.

 

**_ Ashes and Berries _ **

 

_The past can be kept a secret,_

_But only for so long_

 

     Bucky sank his axe into his final tree and watched in satisfaction as the thick trunk snapped and fell to the ground. He exhaled as he looked around at all the massive trees he had cut down. Bucky had been instructed to cut down five trees but cut down eleven since he needed some extra money.

     One by one, the lumberjack hauled the colossal trees to the transportation truck. Thanks to the super soldier serum, Bucky could have easily pulled four massive trees but only pulled one at a time to fake normalcy. Even though it was very strange that one man could manage to haul such a large tree by himself. His boss thought it was strange but didn’t ask questions, all he cared about was Bucky getting the job done.

     Once Bucky had loaded the timber onto the truck, he was paid for his hard work then headed home. It was a long way home but Bucky didn’t mind. Cars weren’t an option since there were no roads. Really and truly there wasn’t really anything in the area; no shopping centers, no cars, no neighborhoods, no people, nothing! The furthest town was an hour and a half away, which was the way Bucky liked it. He stayed as far away from civilization as much as he could.

 

_After the battle in Washington, Bucky went into hiding. His time as the Winter Soldier had made him a wanted man. Pretty much everyone was after him and wanted his head on a plate. It was because of this Bucky fled from civilization. He had traveled (mostly on foot) for so many months that he didn’t even know where he was._

_Bucky took any job that didn’t require papers or identification (since he had neither). The work was hard and laborious but as long as he had food in his stomach and clothes on his back, Bucky didn’t mind sweating. The ex-assassin lived with the bare necessities but he didn’t care, as long as he stayed away from people, he knew he would be safe. Until one day he dared to venture into town; and met you._

_Night had fallen when the infamous Winter Soldier had somehow managed to get lost in the middle of the forest. Much to his luck, rain began to violently fall from the sky and made it difficult to see. After another hour and a half of blindlessly wandering around, Bucky saw a light in the distance. It was dim and far away, but Bucky ran to it. He was eager to avoid whatever wild beasts lurked in the shadows of the thick forest surrounding him and even more eager not to freeze to death in the ice cold rain._

_The house was small and basic with a wooden fence surrounding its perimeter. As Bucky stepped closer to the house, the sweet aroma of herbs and berries filled the air. Upon further inspection, he noticed that the house was surrounded by an herb and berry garden. Bucky’s meals for the past two years had been mainly meat and bread, he couldn’t remember the last time he had had something as sweet and luxurious as fruit._

_Bucky quietly climbed the small steps to the house then stood under the porch; it had been the closest thing to shelter he had had for the past two years. The lantern next to the front door was lit and there was a light inside the house._

_Desperate for a warm and safe place, Bucky knocked on the door. The ex-assassin glanced at his reflection in the curtained window then grimaced. He quickly tied back his unkempt and wet hair and tried to look somewhat presentable to whoever lived there. Bucky wouldn’t be surprised if the owner of the home tried to put a bullet in his head. The ex-assassin looked like someone from a horror story._

_Bucky had been so preoccupied with his reflection that he hadn’t heard the door open._

_“Can I help you?” a small voice asked. Bucky whirled around to face the owner of the voice and from that moment on, his life had never been the same._

_You and Bucky had struck up a deal; you would provide him with food and shelter as long as he went out to gather the raw supplies you needed and helped you harvest your berries and herbs._

_It was your way of life. Humble, simple, and many times difficult, but filled with laughter. You quickly learned that the mysterious man from the woods was truly pathetic. He had no idea how to gut an animal or which plants were poisonous. He didn’t even know how to start a fire!_

_“How are you still alive??” you questioned in disbelief as you gutted a deer and handed him its intestines. Bucky shrugged his shoulders then gagged as he held the still warm organs. You shook your head and laughed at his queasiness._

_You taught him basic survival skills but you noted he had no trouble defending himself from humans. Wild bears on the other hand…long story short it was you who saved his skin._

_The two of you lived in a blissful harmony. You had welcomed a strange man into your home and you had never regretted it. Then again, you knew you could defend yourself from anything._

_He had looked horrible the night you had met him but now that he had cleaned his appearance, it was difficult to keep your eyes off of him. Although Bucky adored being the center of your attention, it made him uneasy. He had been wearing long sleeved shirts and gloves since he had arrived but he knew it was only a matter of time until you saw his metal arm._

_It happened the day he had tried going hunting by himself. Bucky had watched you hunt hundreds of times and since he was an ex-assassin, he figured it’d be easy for him. But it wasn’t._

_The infamous Winter Soldier had been up against hundreds of deadly opponents and had always taken them out with ease but was powerless against an angry mother bear. He had managed to out run the massive beast but only by falling down a cliff and down into a ravine. His injuries were severe and Bucky knew he might not make it, until he heard your voice calling his name._

_You were able to save him. He was out cold when you reached the house so you knew you had to work quickly. You removed his clothes to tend to his wounds but froze when you saw his metal arm. You realized that there was far more to Bucky than met the eye._

_When Bucky woke up, it was much to his horror that you had removed his shirt. You pretended not to notice it and acted as if he didn’t even have it. From that day forth, Bucky wore shirts that exposed his metal arm._

 

_Every other day you would ask him to go cut firewood. Not because you needed it, but because you wanted to shamelessly watch him as he hacked away at wood without a shirt. He was glorious and you never missed a chance to see him shirtless (which he noticed and loved)._

_Twice a year, Bucky would help you harvest your field of berries and herbs. You’d take your produce to town and sell them in the market. With the abundant money you were paid, you would buy supplies that you needed; lightbulbs, heating insulation, water filters, winter clothes, and sanitary products. Bucky noted that you steered clear of flammable liquids such as oil and lighter fluid, he didn’t know why (it would be much easier to keep the fire going) but he didn’t ask questions._

_He was happy you never asked about his past but he was curious about yours. How did such a pretty girl like you end up settling down in the middle of nowhere? When he asked, you smiled sweetly._

_“I’m just a humble gardener.”_

_The two of you lived simple but happy lives and wouldn’t change it for the world. As the months rolled by, your feelings for each other began to show. Weeks turned into months, months turned into years and on the third year Bucky proposed to you. You obviously said yes and since then, the two of you have lived in blissful happiness._

_But he kept his past a secret, he had never told you who he used to be and never planned to. He was finally happy and most of all he wanted to keep you safe._

 

     Bucky was about twenty minutes from home when he remembered you had asked him to buy some things from the market. He turned on his heel then made his way to town.

     “Come to buy something nice for your lovely wife Ducky?” the old woman greeted when Bucky walked into her small bakery.

     She was hard of hearing so when you introduced your husband to her, the elderly woman misheard and has been calling him ‘Ducky’ ever since. Bucky didn’t mind, he thought it was funny and cute. Bucky bought what you needed plus a small pastry for you then headed for home. There was an alley that was in a secluded part of the town. Bucky always went through it since it was a shortcut to home.

     He was halfway down the alley when he heard them. There was at least eighteen of them and Bucky whirled around just in time to avoid an attacker’s knife. The Winter Soldier within Bucky resurfaced as he fought against his foes. He grabbed a knife and took down his enemies with it plus deadly hand to hand combat. Bucky was a master assassin but even he didn’t stand a chance against the snipers firing at him from the rooftops of the buildings.

     Bucky had taken out a majority of his attackers but after being shot twice in his human arm, he knew he had to make a run for it. His attackers wore heavy black gear and were armed to the teeth. Bucky ran in the direction of the forest to avoid any civilian casualties. The forest was dense and it was easy to get lost. He hoped he could out run them.

     As soon as Bucky entered the forest, a series of bullets rained down upon him. He was able to duck and cover but not without sustaining more injuries. The super soldier grabbed a gun from a dead body then began to open fire on his enemies.

     A thick silence fell upon the forest and the scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Bucky was panting for air but before he could make a run for it, he was tackled to the ground. The ex-assassin roared in pain when a knife was embedded into his human arm.

     “An eye for an eye right Soldier?” the man on top of him mocked.

     “I spent years tracking you down,” Bucky’s attacker growled.

     Bucky had no idea who the man was. He had no memory of him, but the man knew Bucky was the Winter Soldier and Bucky knew the man had to be killed.

     “You killed my entire squad and everything I loved, now it’s your turn.”

     Bucky’s eyes widened at the man’s threat. He couldn’t know that…

    “Oh yes. I know all about your precious little wife Soldier,” the man seethed as he twisted the blade into Bucky’s flesh.

     “Hope you kissed her before you left cause once I’m done, there’ll be nothing left of her,” the demented man mocked with a sickening smirk.

     Bucky cried out as the man sank the blade into his arm until the blade had penetrated the soil, nailing Bucky to the ground. The man kicked Bucky’s head before running in the direction of home. The extreme pain disoriented Bucky but he pushed past the pain. The assassin and what was left of his forces were closing in on his home; where you, his wife, was waiting for him. It was because of you that Bucky removed the blade in his arm. The pain was indescribable but Bucky managed to climb to his feet. He ripped off his shirt and used the material to wrap his bleeding arm.

     The super soldier didn’t know how much time had passed but he knew that they were closing in on you. He had to warn you. You were completely defenseless. There were no guns or ammo in the house, just petty little cooking knives. Your only chance was to run away as far as possible and hide until Bucky could get there to protect you.

     Bucky rushed back into town and used the pay phone to contact you. Your home only had one landline, that was probably how they found him. Bucky quickly dialed the number and anxiously waited for you to pick up. With every ring his stomach churned. Had they already reached the house? Did they-

     “Hello?”

     "(Y/N)!!” Bucky cried out, relieved that you were still alive but he knew he was short on time.

    “Bucky? Is everything okay? You sound-“

    “(Y/N) there’s no time listen to me, there are people coming to kill you!”

    “Bucky what are you talking about?” you shakily asked, you had never heard him sound like this.

    “You have to get out of the house! Make a run for it, don’t look back, just run! I’ll come get you just run!!”

    “Bucky stop you’re scaring me what’s going on?” you asked, panic filled your system.

     “(Y/N) I used to be a really bad person I’m sorry I never told you. I ran away and turned my life around but my past has caught up with me.”

     “They found me and you got caught up in it I’m so sorry. They’re coming for you (Y/N) just run! I’m going to protect you just run!” Bucky pled as panic and fear surged through his body and soul.

     “Bucky I-“ you were cut short and through the other line Bucky could hear a door being kicked in. There were shouts and gunfire, then the line went dead.

     Bucky dropped the phone. His world stopped as he assumed the worst. He should have seen this coming. He should have never believed he could live a happy life and more importantly; he should have never had fallen in love with you.

     The ex-assassin snapped himself out of his thoughts. You were strong and witty, you would find a way to make it out alive. He believed in you. Bucky would be true to his wedding vows and protect you till his dying breath. Your bleeding husband ran to the nearest car and hijacked it. He sped in the direction of home and hoped he could make it in time to save you. He hated himself for leaving you completely defenseless. His fears began to consume him.

     How could you, a sweet and gentle girl, protect yourself from a squad of heavily armed special ops assassins?

 

 

     Your bare feet tapped against the wooden floors of your home. Ash filled the air and covered every part of your home but you didn’t mind. It was a beautiful spring day and you had been wanting to do some gardening. There was complete silence; save the gut wrenching screams of assassins you had missed.

     The hardline had been severed and seconds later they swarmed into your home. You had little time to react but the training from your past had resurfaced and you took most of them out with ease.

     You slowly approached one of them. The assassin tried to scurry away from you but it was hard for him considering he didn’t have legs; or a lower body for that matter. He stared up at you with wide and fearful eyes. In the past you had delighted in the sight of a half dead man begging for mercy but you were not that person anymore.

     Your lavender dress elegantly twirled around you as you knelt down in front of him. He tried to back away but he had hit a wall and had nowhere left to run. Part of you pitied him, he never stood a chance against you. Tears began to form in his eyes then you smiled sweetly at him.

     “W-What the hell are you?!” he shuttered as his fear consumed him and tears rolled down his face. You smiled at him and wiped a tear from his cheek.

     “I’m just a humble gardener,” you answered sweetly then your hand glowed red and you stabbed his chest.

 

 

     Bucky jumped out of the car before it had come to a complete stop and sprinted into the house. He had lost a significant amount of blood and had trouble standing but he would protect you until his dying breath.

     The front door had been kicked off the hinges, the frame was covered in bullet holes, and the windows had been shattered. Without hesitation he bolted for the house. He ran inside and saw ashes everywhere. The house was completely intact and there was no sign of any fires. He dismissed his questions and searched for you. He began to scream your name and feared the worst.

     He let out a sob of relief when he saw you. Your back was turned to him but there you were, in your darling lavender dress, alive and well. You were sweeping the ashes that covered the floor into a dustpan. Bucky’s happiness was shattered when the man from earlier came out of his hiding place and ran to attack you.

     Bucky screamed your name as the one armed man rose a knife above his head to strike you. Before his blade could even touched you, you whirled around and stabbed him with your hand. Bucky stared wide eyed as he watched your glowing red fist pierce straight through the man’s chest.

     “No one, absolutely no one hurts my Bucky,” you growled at the screaming and burning man.

     You stabbed him with your other hand and ripped out his spine. His body went up in flames then turned to ash. Bucky watched in shock as the ashes of his nameless enemy fell to the ground. Now he knew what all the other piles of ash once were.

     You snarled at the pile of ash then lifted your head and perked up when you saw the love of your life.

     “Bucky!” you beamed.

     You shook your hands until the orange redness vanished then ran into his arms. Bucky pressed you close to him and savored the feeling of your body against his.

     “(Y/N) I’m so sorry. I should have told you-“

     You cut Bucky short with a kiss. Bucky melted into your touch and felt your heated hands cup his face.

     "It’s okay Bucky. I’m fine,” you reassured him with a sweet smile.

     He held you tightly, kissed you again, then you pulled away. You picked up the broom and resumed your sweeping. Bucky looked around the room and counted the ash piles. There was one for each of the enemy assassins…

     “(Y/N)…” Bucky softly called.

     “Who are you?”

     You turned to him then smiled sweetly.

     “I’m just a humble gardener,” you gently answered.

     Bucky was silent, then returned your smile. He took you into his arms and kissed you. He then twirled you around and French dipped you.

     “And I am just a humble lumberjack.”

     You smiled up at him and silently agreed. It didn’t matter who the two of you were in the past. The two of you had each other and this was your life now. He was no longer the Winter Soldier just as you were no longer…well…

     You were now, just as you always will be, a humble gardener who was married to the love of her life.

 

_And you wouldn’t have it any other way._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New one shot woot!  
> Thank my mom for calling Bucky 'Ducky'  
> So I'm thinking of starting another series since one of my one shots IS 40 PAGES LONG  
> CURSE MY INABILITY TO WRITE SHORT ONE SHOTS "OTL  
> I'm also writing a Steve/Reader one shot but I don't know if I'll post that :/  
> Comment/Kudo to let me know if you liked it!! :DD


	6. Late Night AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You? Fall for a human?!

** _Moonstruck Gaze_ **

 

_Humans had never sparked your interest;_

_Until you met him._

     The keen ex-assassin could tell you had never _willingly_ attended one of Tony’s parties. You probably only showed up out of social obligation or because you didn’t want to come off as the antisocial newbie. You had joined the team before he had and even though you had lived in Stark tower for the past five months, no one knew much about you. You stayed in your room during the day and the only time anyone ever saw you was at night. You’d freely move about and explore the tower when everyone else was fast asleep. Some nights you disappeared completely but no one ever burdened you with nosey questions. Socializing with the team didn’t seem to be one of your priorities and everyone respected your naturally reclusive personality.

     Bucky had only seen you a few times since he had lived in the tower but he cherished every second he was able to look at you. He usually bumped into you in the kitchen or in the hall but you never stayed out of your room for long. You’d grab a snack or extra blanket then head right back to your room. The super soldier openly admired your beauty (which included your glorious bedhead and cute pajamas) whenever he saw you. He hoped that maybe you’d acknowledge his presence but you only glanced at him from the corner of your eye then scurried back to your room. His smiles and attempts to talk to you were always unrequited. It disheartened the super soldier but Bucky never lost hope that someday he’d be lucky enough to talk to you.

     Wanting to know more about you (so that he could woo you better), Bucky asked the other members of the team about you and had always been told good things about you.

     “Perfect for night missions,” was a compliment everyone shared.

     Bucky had never been on a mission with you, but he agreed none the less. Bucky had always been attracted to your quiet, serene aura and your silence made you all the more mysterious. You reminded Bucky of the night itself. The aura around you was always tranquil and at peace and he was sure the dress you wore tonight had been cut from the night sky itself. Its dark navy blue color was sparsely speckled with silver glitter and its free flowing, wispy fabric suited you perfectly. Bucky could stare at you for hours but knew you had caught him staring at you more than once. You didn’t seem to mind, which gave him the courage to (eventually) approach you.

     You stood in the corner of the dimly lit party room in Stark tower. The music and chatter resonated through the massive room and Bucky could see your discomfort as clear as day. The commotion seemed to bother you but you hid your displeasure well, had Bucky not been so familiar with your usual aura, he wouldn’t have noticed at all. He could practically see the waves of discomfort emitting from your frigid form. He watched as you fiddled with the glass of champagne in your hand and took short sips of the liquid you clearly disliked. Truth be told, the ex-assassin shared your discomfort. He had never liked Tony’s parties either but Steve always dragged him to every single one.

     Bucky bemusedly smiled to himself, _‘A pretty girl like (Y/N) shouldn’t be a wallflower’_.

      With that thought in mind, Bucky glanced at you one last time before taking in a deep breath and making his way towards you. Your eyes locked with his as he moved his way to your side of the room. Countless emotions swirled in your eyes but all of them were covered by a curtain of enchanting mystery. It made Bucky all the more eager to talk to you.

     The super soldier was only a few feet away from you when someone suddenly bumped into him.

     “Oh look the winter troll is finally out of his cave!” Tony obnoxiously teased as he swung his arm around the super soldier.

     Bucky was about to snap back an insult but instead scrunched his face in disgust at Tony’s breath. It reeked of alcohol and Bucky decided to let the dead drunk man off the hook.

     After he pulled himself from the drunken billionaire’s hold, Bucky made his way towards your spot only to see that you had vanished. He scanned the room for you but you were nowhere in sight. Bucky growled in annoyance and made a mental note to make sure Stark had an excruciatingly long hangover. The ex-assassin cursed under his breath, he rarely ever saw you and his only opportunity to talk to you had been thrown out the window by a hammered idiot. With a defeated sigh, Bucky returned to Steve’s side and occasionally joined in his friend’s conversation with Thor and Sam.

     The party ended once the sun had set and Bucky couldn’t have been happier. Now he was free to retreat to the comfort of his room and escape all socialization.

     Three hours after everyone had gone to sleep, Bucky awoke from a nightmare. He sat in his bed for a few minutes to regather himself then decided to get up and get a snack from the kitchen. It was a common occurrence, something that had become part of his nightly routine; go to bed, have a nightmare, wait till the fear and adrenaline die down, then get up and get a snack.

     The sleep deprived super soldier had reached the bottom of the stairs and was about to enter the main room but quickly hid behind a wall when he heard footsteps approaching the elevator on the other side of the room. Bucky crouched down, fully prepared to attack. He knew that he no longer needed to live with that mindset but old habits died hard.

     Bucky immediately perked up in surprise when he saw it was you. You were wearing the same beautiful navy blue dress you had worn to the party which immediately fueled Bucky’s growing curiosity. Where were you going in a gorgeous dress like that this late at night? Once you had entered the elevator, Bucky sprinted down the stairs to follow you.

     He stayed two floors above so that he could watch you while being out of sight. The ex-assassin raised a brow when the elevator stopped at the garage floor. He immediately questioned your motives. You strolled past Tony’s many luxurious cars and to a secluded part of the garage. Bucky curiously watched as you halted, then pulled a cover off of a sleek, black, street racing motorcycle. The super soldier’s mouth dropped at the sight. He had so many questions and planned on asking them as soon as he got the chance.

     You pulled on a black leather jacket, put on your motorcycle helmet, then mounted the sleek racing bike in high heels. Punching in a memorized code, you gripped the handles as the motorcycle came to life. Bucky watched in awe as you reeved the gas then sped out of the garage, the excess material of your dress swirled behind you as you raced into the night.

     Once the garage door closed behind you, Bucky jumped from his hiding place-which was two stories above-but landed on the floor of the garage with ease. The super soldier didn’t have a ride of his own (since he never really left the tower) so he went for Steve’s retro motorcycle. Bucky was certain his best friend wouldn’t mind him stealing his ride, as long as Bucky wore a helmet he knew Steve wouldn’t mind. Steve hid the keys of his transportation in a totally-not-obvious place; underneath a very out of place cement brick. Bucky rolled his eyes, _‘Somethings never change’._

     After Bucky had securely fastened the helmet, he mounted the bike then sped out of the garage in search for you. Bucky knew he had some serious ground to cover if he planned on finding you. Steve’s bike was much slower than your street racing bike and the city was an endless series of maze-like streets. They merged and led to every corner of the city. Part of him knew you’d be somewhat easy to find.

     After all, how many pretty girls wearing a party dresses riding a street racing motorcycle in high heels could there be?

     Bucky drove down several streets until he reached a red light and saw you on the other side of the intersection turning right. How could he miss you? The colorful city lights reflected off of your black helmet and made the speckles of silver glitter on your dress shimmer. You looked around at the illuminated signs of the shops that surrounded you as you waited for the light to turn green. Bucky hid behind the car in front of him, wanting to avoid your gaze at all costs. His helmet didn’t cover his face like yours did and he didn’t want his first impression to be that of a creepy stalker.

     When the light turned green, you turned right then sped down the street and out of Bucky’s sight. His light stayed red for longer than he liked and the assassin began to grow antsy. He didn’t know if you’d take anymore turns and knew that he could lose you easily in the many routs of the city. With that in mind, he maneuvered around the cars in front of him, ran a red light, and made an illegal turn all in the span of a minute. Bucky could practically hear Steve yelling at him but pushed it aside. All his focus was on following you.

     The super soldier had finally managed to find you. He continued to follow you but kept a distance.

     His curiosity only grew as you headed to the edge of the city, away from all the bright lights and noise of the night life. Half an hour later you had reached a wooded area that was far, far away from the city. Bucky never knew that there was a small forest in such a bustling city like Manhattan. He watched from a great distance as you slowed, then parked your bike behind a massive tree. You pulled off your helmet, shook your head to smooth out your messy hair, removed your heels, then walked into the dense forest.

     Bucky waited five minutes before following you into the woods. The small forest was dense but being the master tracker he was, the ex-assassin was able to follow the barely noticeable trail you had left in your wake. After a few moments, Bucky came to a small clearing in the middle of the forest and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you.

     The trees in front of you were bent backwards as you gazed up at the moon. Its light shone down upon you and tiny specks of lights swirled around you. An invisible breeze made your hair and the fabric of your dress swirl around you and gave you an enchanting and otherworldly beauty. He saw your lips moving as you looked up at the moon but wasn’t able to hear what you were saying. You gazed up at the moon for a few more moments before you turned, then began to dance. It was not like any dance of this world. You moved in an otherworldly elegance as the tiny lights swirled around you. A smile graced your features as you twirled and danced.

     Bucky watched you in awe but failed to notice the twig beneath his feet until he had stepped on it. The ‘ _snap’_ echoed in the silence of the night as you halted your dance then quickly turned in his direction and threw out your hand.

     From your hand came a mighty and blinding, crescent ray of light. Bucky only had seconds to dodge the blast. He managed to save himself but the trees around him were sliced in two and crashed to the ground before evaporating into tiny specks of light. Now he understood why you were perfect for night missions.

     “The moon is full and I’m feeling merciful so I’ll give you three seconds to reveal yourself,” you bitterly ordered with your palm pointed in the direction of the noise to insure that the threat knew you weren’t in a gaming mood.

     Your eyes widened when the object of your fantasies rose from the bushes to reveal himself. His hands were in front of him to show you he was unarmed but his eyes shone with admiration and awe. The lopsided smirk he wore only intensified the blush blooming on your cheeks. Aside from the rustling of the forest there was complete silence, neither of you said anything.

     You had never, ever , _ever_ , felt threatened by a human; but the man had always made you uncomfortable. You were _very_ attracted to him, which made you all the more uncomfortable. He was the reason you had escaped the tower this particular night. You usually went to the roof of Stark tower to be by the moon but after seeing him in that dashing suit, you knew you had to flee from the man and your fantasies of him. You fled to your small sanctuary in the forest to find peace and seek Her advice.

     He was unbearably handsome and you would never admit that knowing he was a floor away from your room stirred a desire deep within you. Aside from his accursing good looks, you were very attracted to his aura. It wasn’t loud or dynamic like most humans. No, his aura was calm, still and strangely similar to yours. But you loathed the man. You despised the way he ruined your inner peace and made your heart erratically pound in your chest. You cursed the way his piercing azure eyes made you weak at the knees and the fact that every time you came out of your room, you always managed to bump into him. The encounter never failed to make you scurry back to your room like a frighten rabbit. You hated the nauseating cocktail of emotion he poisoned you with!

     …Is this what the humans call ‘being in love’?

     No!

     You? Fall for a human? Never.

     “Why did you follow me?” you bitterly questioned to mask the girlish fluttering of your heart with hostility.

     “Sorry, I just…wanted to make sure you were okay,” Bucky cautiously answered to avoid invoking your rage. His answer wasn’t a complete lie.

     You were taken aback by your fantasy’s simple answer and admirable intentions. It was because of his words you lowered your hand.

     “O-Oh, well I’m fine. I just wanted to get some fresh air,” you cursed yourself for fumbling with your words.

      You involuntarily flinched when you heard him approach you. Bucky stopped when he sensed your unease, but continued when you showed no signs of malice. You avoided his piercing gaze as he walked towards you and you involuntarily fidgeted in place. You cursed yourself for allowing a human to have such and effect on you. You? Fall for a human? Never.

     “You look beautiful tonight,” Bucky gently complimented you with a smile.

     His eyes glistened with an emotion that was alien to you and you quickly avoided his gaze. Your mouth went dry and the air was sucked from your lungs. Fighting against the waves of unwelcome emotions, you managed to glare at the moon from the corner of your eye.

 _‘You didn’t tell me what to do in a situation like this!!’ y_ ou internally screamed and in return you heard nothing but laughter.

     “Thank you,” you accepted his compliment in a monotone, but obviously shaking voice.

     The super soldier softly chuckled at your bashful and awkward reply. His laugh made your head spin. You scolded yourself. You? Fall for a human?! Never.

     You looked up at him when he stopped in front of you and nearly fainted. He wore nothing but sweat pants and a leather jacket which was open and exposed his toned chest to you. You shamelessly eyed him up and down and honestly believed you were going to faint. You felt yourself falling back but his warm hands suddenly caught you by your waist. You were pulled forward and close to his toned body, your hands rested on his broad chest. The laughter grew louder and you wanted nothing more than to disappear. It was like something from those corny romance movies humans fawned over. Your body’s reaction to him disgusted you. You? Fall for a human?! Never.

     Bucky sensed your flustered discomfort and although he loved the affect he had on you, the super soldier decided to have mercy on you. He stepped away and you mourned the loss of his touch but you immediately slapped some sense into yourself. You curiously watched as he took a few steps back then sat on the lush grass of the ground below you. Bucky noticed your confusion then patted the ground next to him, nonverbally requesting that you sit next to him. You awkwardly sat down but kept a great distance from him, his presence made you feel strange and you wanted to avoid his touch at all costs (or so you told yourself). The super soldier gave you a dashing smile then looked up at the moon. He seemed to be keeping himself together better than you were; or he was excellent at hiding his feelings (it was the second you would later learn).

    “The moon looks beautiful tonight,” Bucky remarked in a dreamy tone.

    “Thank you,” you bashfully replied but quickly regretted opening your mouth.

     You stared at him from the corner of your eye, mortified of his reaction and the questions he may ask but he said nothing.

     “What are you doing up this late at night?” you swiftly asked. You were determined to change the subject and save yourself from any more embarrassment.

     His once calm aura instantly turned stiff and bitter, the drastic change alarmed you. You had heard little tidbits about him and his past and you immediately regretted your question.

     “Nothing really, couldn’t sleep. Decided to get up and get some fresh air,” Bucky nonchalantly replied with a shrug.

     “And follow me apparently,” you lightly teased. The handsome man laughed then looked at you with gleaming eyes.

     “A pretty girl riding a street racing motorcycle is hard to miss,” Bucky poked back playfully. His humorous response made you giggle and eased the tension between the two of you.

     A few moments of silence passed as you slowly began to enjoy each other’s presence. Both of you were the quiet type and you had a serene aura which Bucky was furiously attracted to. He wanted nothing more to silence his demons and obtain peace. He felt stillness when he was with you. You were the cool water that dowsed the flames that charred his soul. You were breathtaking in every way and you were everything he wanted and more…

     The ex-assassin glanced at you from the corner of his eye. You were staring up at the moon with a loving expression and you seemed to be in a deep trance, as if you were having a conversation with someone. The small lights began to appear and Bucky openly admired you.

     “What are you doing up?” Bucky curiously asked.

    The lights disappeared when his words pulled you out of your trance and he mourned the beauty of them.

     “I’m always up at night, it’s the only time I feel peace,” you sighed as you looked up at the moon again.

     “The day, it’s too noisy, too hectic, too chaotic. That’s why I always sleep during the day. The night is peaceful, there’s no clamor or racket. There is nothing but the serenity of the night.”

     “That, and I’m at the pinnacle of my power at night,” you explained, hoping you made sense.

     “Sorry, that must make no sense whatsoev-“

     “It makes complete sense,” Bucky interrupted as he turned to look at you.

     “All the socializing and commotion of the day is exhausting. Don’t get me wrong I work well with the team but there are just some people…”

     “Tony?” you finished his sentence, completely understanding what he was trying to say.

     “Yes Tony,” Bucky gagged in disgust at the thought of the obnoxious man, “enough said,” Bucky finished with a laugh which you echoed.

     “It’s nice to get out and escape all of the noise,” you hummed in contentment.

    “Would you mind if I joined you?”

     You turned to look at the man with wide eyes as his request set in. You didn’t want to answer because you knew you’d say yes, which was the last thing you wanted to say. Why? Because you knew the more time you spent with him, the deeper you’d fall under his spell. You quickly slapped some sense into yourself. But your heart answered before your mind could stop it.

     “If…you want to,” you softly accepted, knowing that you would regret it.

     But the smile he gave you calmed the storm within you and filled your stomach with butterflies. You bit the inside of your cheek to keep your fluttering heart anchored in reality.

     You? Fall for a human?! Never.

 

~

 

     “Shh! Bucky you’re so loud you’ll wake the entire city!” you scolded (and tried to hide your smile) in a hushed voice but the super soldier only cackled in response.

     “(Y/N) please, the only thing worth waking up for is seeing you in that dress,” Bucky cheekily complimented with a wink. You scoffed and rolled your eyes but you both knew that was your own bashful way of accepting his compliments.

     “Well Mr. Barnes, it’s your night tonight. Have you decided where we’re going?”

    “I know exactly where I want to take you doll. You’re going to love it,” Bucky beamed with a wide grin.

     It had been a little over a year and a half since the two of you had been spending nights together and although you’d never consciously admit it, you had come to love each and every moment you spent with Bucky. He had been extremely flirtatious with you from the get go and even though you acted as if you hated it, both of you knew you loved it more than anything. But no matter what, you always ignored the way he made your heart race. You? Fall for a human?! Never.

     Even after months of spending your nights together you constantly denied your feelings for him. He took you to countless beautiful places such as the flower garden in Central park, a lake that glistened like diamonds in the moonlight, and a meadow that was a sea of wildflowers, but still you ignored your feelings.

     Some nights you went with him to fancy restaurants, cute cafes, and humble diners alike; shared food with him and laughed every time he got whipped cream in his stubble, (you were convinced he did it on purpose so that you could wipe it off his face) but you still ignored your feelings for him.

     Other nights he’d aimlessly drive through the city on his motorcycle with you clinging on to him. The wind combed through your hair as your arms wrapped themselves around his body. You rested against him and the soft sound of the motorcycle he drove lulled and relaxed you. At every red light, when he came to a stop, he’d take his hand off of the handle and lightly rest it on top of your hands. He’d stroke your soft skin before returning his hand back to the handle when the light turned green. The warmth of his body filled you with longing and desire but you ignored your growing feelings. You? Fall for a human?! Never.

     “Almost there,” Bucky chimed.

     His voice pulled you out of your conflicting thoughts and you looked around to see where you were. You weren’t familiar with this part of the city which only fed your growing curiosity. The ex-assassin was full of lovely surprises and you looked forward to the nights he got to choose where the two of you went.

     “We’re here,” Bucky cheered.

     You looked at Bucky in confusion as the two of you stopped in front of a skyscraper. It was nothing special at all, it was just…a regular skyscraper. Seeing your perplexed expression, Bucky bashfully smiled.

     “Well, almost,” Bucky corrected himself.

     “Come on!” the super soldier insisted as he took your hand in his and ran towards the building. You smiled at his sudden excitement. After everything he had been through, he of all people deserved to be happy.

     “Through there,” he whispered as he pointed to a window on the third story.

     The trees surrounding the building blocked out the streetlights so you had to squint your eyes to inspect the window. You realized it had been unscrewed from the building and had been completely removed from its frame. You gasped when you realized what he had in mind.

    “Bucky! I am NOT, under any circumstances, breaking into a building! It’s illegal you idiot you’re going to get us both arrested!!” you seethed as you panicked and frantically scanned your surroundings. The last thing you wanted was to get caught and end up behind bars.

     “Aw come on dollface! Don’t be a stick in the mud,” Bucky scolded and whined as he pulled his hidden equipment from a nearby tree then strapped a belt around his waist and chest.

     “Never, in all my years of living on earth, have I committed a crime and I plan on keeping it that way!”

     “I am no criminal Mr. Barnes!” you sternly announced then turned on your heel to walk away.

     Before you could get far, a hand grabbed your arm then whirled you around. You collided with a warm and familiar chest then looked up at its owner as he snaked his metal arm around your waist.

     “Now you are,” Bucky purred with a sexy smile.

     You only had time to blush before he pulled you flush against his hard body then pulled a cord that sent the two of you flying into the air. Bucky heartily laughed when you latched onto him like a frightened cat. You held onto him until he entered the window and landed on his feet. The criminal pulled you away to unhook himself then grab the glass and place it back in the frame to avoid any suspicion from the outside. He turned toward you with a cheeky smirk but his cocky behavior was knocked out of him when you slapped him upside the head.

     “James Buchanan Barnes don’t you ever pull that shit again do you hear me?!” you fumed with fire burning in your eyes and your finger pointed inches from his face.

     The mischievous criminal only smiled and rolled his eyes at your scolding.

     “You’ll thank me later doll I promise,” Bucky cooed as he grabbed your hand and kissed it. He gave you one of his captivating smirks then winked at you. All you could do was huff in annoyance and look away. His charm was eating away at your resolve.

     When you tried to pull your hand away, Bucky laced his fingers through yours then pulled you forward to follow him. You stayed close to him as you examined the ceiling and walls for security cameras.

     “Don’t worry (Y/N), I disconnected all the cameras earlier,” Bucky informed you but his ‘reassurance’ only riled you up even more.

_‘What else did he do!?’_

      “It’s through here,” Bucky remarked as he opened a door for you.

     You entered the room and groaned when you looked up. The endless flights of stairs stretched all the way to the top floor of the skyscraper and the thought of scaling all those steps made your muscles ache. You wanted nothing more than to turn on your heel and walk out but your curiosity got the best of you. Just what did Bucky have in mind for tonight?

     You took Bucky by surprise when you approached the staircase then began to ascend the steps. The super soldier had thought he’d have to spend hours convincing you but was very relieved when you decided to see what he had in mind.

     Fifteen minutes and a few flights later, you were completely exhausted. Your thighs screamed at you to stop and even though you pushed yourself to climb up a few more flights, you finally gave into exhaustion and sat down.

     “Getting tired dollface?” Bucky cooed as he leaned back on the railing and looked down at you with a twinkle of playfulness in his eyes.

     His passive mockery irked you but instead of snapping back at him, you laughed. You looked up at him and openly admired his smile and playful aura. You were happy that after so many nights of having nightmares, he was able to smile and laugh. Even if it was at your demise.

     “Yes, I must admit I am,” you sighed. Bucky’s eyes widened at your honesty, he hadn’t seen that coming. You looked at him from the corner of your eye and decided it was your turn to tease him.

     “How will I ever get to the roof now?” you dramatically whined.

     “If only there was a handsome, strong man to carry m-“ you yelped when you were scooped off the ground and into a pair of arms.

     The playful man only smiled down at you as he began to scale the flights of stairs with you in his arms. You leaned your head against his chest and closed your eyes as you listened to the steady beating of his heart. Apparently he was unfazed by the straining exercise. As Bucky scaled the stairs, you allowed your mind to wander.

 

_A few days ago, you had woken up in the middle of the day from hunger. You got out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Once there you made yourself a meal then sat down at the kitchen island to eat. As you were eating, Steve walked in and asked if he could sit down with you. You agreed, wanting some company since you had never really spoken to the man. After some pleasant chitchat, Steve thanked you._

_“For what?” you questioned, completely taken aback and confused._

_“Ever since Bucky started spending his nights with you, he’s been able to recover and parts of his old self have begun to return,” Steve answered, a grateful smile graced his handsome face._

_“He smiles more because of you (Y/N).”_

     You didn’t tell Steve that there were some nights you and Bucky would find a quiet and secluded part of the city and open up to each other. The two of you shared your individual pasts, both the good parts and the bad.

     Bucky confessed that the reason he was awake most nights was because he was afraid to go to sleep. The ghosts of his past life haunted him every time he tried to sleep; so he didn’t. He’d spend his nights in the kitchen or living room of the tower and stare into the void until his body finally shut down out of exhaustion.

     For hours the two of you exchanged happy memories, silly stories, and dark secrets alike. The two of you shared a mutual feeling of intimacy. His trust in you only fueled the fires of passion that consumed your heart and soul but you ignored your feelings for him. Maybe the two of you could someday be…no! You harshly scolded yourself. That could never happen…

     You? Fall for a human?! Never…but it was getting harder to and harder to believe that…

      “We’re here.”

     You opened your eyes as soon as Bucky spoke and held back a whine when he set you down on your feet. Bucky opened the door then you stepped through the threshold then gasped at what you saw.

     On the flat glass rooftop of the skyscraper was a small, white cupid bench that was surrounded by gorgeous flowers. A few small candles surrounded the area around the bench and gave the scenery a warm, romantic glow. The moon was full and high in the sky and being on the roof of the skyscraper made the moon seem as if she were right in front of you, just within reach. Your hands flew up to cover your mouth and you felt your eyes tear as you gazed at the sheer beauty of everything.

     “By the way I didn’t steal any of this. I may break into heavily secured buildings but I’m no thief,” Bucky jested but you remained silent, too absorbed in the beauty of everything to say anything. Bucky had done all this…just for you.

     “Do you like it?” Bucky sheepishly asked.

     You whirled around and jumped as you threw your arms around him. Bucky stumbled backwards but managed to catch you, he held you to his body while holding the backs of your knees.

     “Yes Bucky! I love everything about it!” you beamed as you pulled away to cup his face and smile down at him.

     He returned your smile with just as much glee as he twirled around with you in his arms. When he put you down, you rested your hands on his chest and looked over to the flower adorned bench. You were speechless. Bucky took your hand and walked you over to the bench and you adored every single flower that was laced into the ivory metal of the bench. The small candles gave your surroundings a romantic glow but their light paled in comparison to the shining light of the moon. She was so close, just within touch. Part of you felt homesick but when Bucky wrapped his arm around you, banishment didn’t feel like a punishment.

     You rested your head on Bucky’s shoulder and savored the warmth of his body. You had always treasured the time you spent with him. You closed your eyes and tried to sort out your emotions. Bucky made his feelings for you obvious. He struggled with finding the right words but he didn’t need words; his eyes said it all.

     Truth be told, you were scared to love. After everything you had done, you didn’t feel worthy of such a precious thing. You had lived among humans for countless centuries but still they baffled you. They were strange, but wonderful. You had had countless friends through the centuries but had never fallen in love. Until now….you told yourself again and again that you didn’t love him; but you knew it was a lie.

     You lifted your head from Bucky’s shoulder and looked at him. As he gazed up at the moon it finally hit you;

_You loved him._

     You loved him with every fiber of your being and the love you felt for him was so strong you wanted to cry. Your pent up emotions finally broke free. You softly called his name and when he looked at you, you cupped his face and kissed him passionately. You could hear a symphony of cheering and smiled.

 _‘Took you long enough!’_ she teased.

     You took Bucky by surprise but he returned the kiss with just as much passion. Much to his dislike, you pulled away and gazed into his eyes.

     “I love you Bucky Barnes, I love you more than all the stars and the moon,” you confessed with teary eyes.

     The man, who loved you more than life itself, gazed at you in adoration as he stroked your cheek. You pressed his hand to your face and looked at him when he ran his thumb across your lips. Bucky placed a longing and tender kiss on your lips. You savored his touch and never wanted to be without it. You had loved him for so long.

     Bucky couldn’t stop smiling. He had loved you from the moment he saw you. Your confession of love made his heart soar. You had always had his heart and he was overjoyed that he finally had yours.

     The rest of the night was a blissful blur you will never forget. There were a hundred more kisses and thousands of more hugs. Once the excitement had died down, Bucky took you into his arms and sat down on the flower adorned bench. You fell asleep in his arms and smiled as you savored the feeling of his body against yours.

 

_~_

_Epilogue_

     You stirred when the sun’s rays peppered your cheeks with kisses of light. You listened to the steady beat of Bucky’s heart as you laid on his chest. His arms were wrapped securely around you and even though there was nothing to fear, you felt safe and sound.

     You opened your eyes and looked up at the man who held you in his strong arms. You ghosted your fingers over his clothes chest, to the skin of his throat then you lightly rubbed your fingers against his stubble. Your roaming hand came to a stopped when it settled on his cheek. Your soft touch roused Bucky from his sleep. He gave you a sleepy smile then took your hand and kissed your palm before shifting so you were on top of him. You smiled when he pulled you down and placed a sweet kiss on your lips.

     He soon fell back asleep and you looked down at his sleeping form. You stared at him and memorized every detail of him. You kissed him one last time before laying back down on his body and snuggling into his warmth. You hummed in happiness then slowly felt yourself falling asleep in the arms of the man you had come to love more than life itself.

 

_You? Fall for a human?!_

_He was your Bucky;_

_How could you not?_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My insomnia and inability to sleep inspired me to write this haha (I'm dying inside (@m@;;;)  
> SO I hope you liked it! More is on the way! I'll be posting my new Bucky/Reader series tomorrow!! \\(^0^)/  
> (I broke up the 40 pages into chpts and right now I'm up to seven chpts and still counting so I hope everyone likes it!!)  
> Kudo/Comment to let me know what you thought!! :DD


	7. Caught Cheating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “(Y/N) please, I can explain,” Bucky pled.

Caught Cheating

 

 

_“You filthy son of a bitch.”_

     Your spiteful words dripped with poison. You made your fury clear as day to the man in front of you. Part of you was enraged but the other part of you was bleeding with hurt. He had betrayed you.

     “(Y/N) please, I can explain,” Bucky pled.

     After five months of being together it had finally happened. You never, even in your wildest dreams, imagined he would stoop that low. Bucky was a true and faithful man. His loyalty was one of his strongest qualities and one you had always needed in a boyfriend.

     “I don’t want to hear your excuses Barnes!” you hollered at him.

     Tears of anger and betrayal stung your eyes. Bucky’s heart sank when he saw the tears forming in your eyes. The guilt that stained his handsome face filled you with satisfaction. You wanted him to live with the shame for the rest of his life.

     “Dollface please, I didn’t mean to-“

     “Yes you did don’t you dare lie to me!”

     You should have seen this coming. He had been acting strange the last couple of hours. You had thought nothing of it; until now…

     “Please (Y/N), let’s start over. I know I made a mistake but I promise you it wasn’t on purpose,”

     Bucky desperately begged. He never meant for this to happen. He hoped you wouldn’t notice but you had loved him for so long. You knew everything about him, so it was only natural for you to realize what he had done.

     “I never meant for this to happen! I swear (Y/N) it was an acciden-“

     “I don’t want to hear your petty excuses Barnes!” you bellowed as you rose to your feet.

     You clenched your fists as you seethed in anger. Bucky, the love of your life, had betrayed you. You would never be the same. His betrayal would haunt you for the rest of your days and change the way you saw the world.

     “(Y/N) please I-“

     “I don’t want to hear your filthy excuses James Buchanan Barnes!! You cheated you filthy swine!!” You roared as you jumped to your feet and threw the board game across the room. The bills of fake money flew around you and the little place holders fell to the floor.

     “Never, in all my life, have I lost a game of Monopoly Bucky! Do you hear me!? **NEVER**!”

     Bucky hung his head in defeat as you unleased your fury. You were feared worldwide as a deadly assassin, master of all weapons, sniper with perfect marksmanship, fluent in over twenty languages, could kill a man with a plastic soda bottle but the one thing you prided yourself in was your ability to win any and every board game. Tony had built you a special room for your massive collection of board games. They were your pride and joy and no one was allowed in that room. You loved board games with a burning passion and proudly announced that you never lost a game (or so you claimed).

     “It’s been four hours since we started playing dollface. I’m exhausted. I’m sorry I miscounted the money but in my defense I never wanted to be the banker,” Bucky tiredly rebutted.

     “Sorry doesn’t change the fact that you cheated! And time doesn’t exist when you play board games!”

     “(Y/N). For the last time, I didn’t cheat. I just miscounted-“

     “Lies!”

     You glared at him then stomped out of the room. You broke out into a sprint when you heard the filthy cheater following you. He was running after you to try to charm you out of your anger. But you wouldn’t let that happen this time. Cheating in a board game was unforgivable!

     “F.R.I.D.A.Y.! Take me to the surveillance room and tell Tony to meet me there!” you ordered as you sprinted for the elevator.

     You heard Bucky question your intentions but you kept running. You’d prove that he meant to miscount the money.

     “I’m going to prove once and for all you cheated Barnes you filthy-“ your insult was cut short when you felt yourself being tackled to the floor.

     You yelped as you fell but Bucky cushioned your fall. You opened your eyes and much to your annoyance, your boyfriend loomed over you. You tried to squirm out of his hold but he held your wrists over your head in an iron grip. Bucky knew you could easily escape from his hold but you didn’t.

     “Don’t you dare think you can charm yourself out of this one Barnes! I’m furious with you!”

     You were taken aback when he said nothing in return. Bucky looked down at you, his face shown with glee and you could see the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. You scowled when he started laughing. His whole body started shaking as he lost it and burst out in laughter. Tears of mirth began to stream down his handsome face which only fed your annoyance.

     “What’s so funny?” you sternly demanded to know.

     The air was knocked out of you when Bucky collapsed on top of you. You squirmed and protested when he buried his face into the crook of your neck and wrapped his arms around you. Once Bucky had finished laughing, he placed a small kiss on your neck.

     “You (Y/N). You’re so cute,” Bucky answered with a chuckle as he placed another kiss on your neck.

     When you huffed in annoyance, he lifted himself to look at you. His smile faded.

     “I’m sorry I messed up (Y/N). I didn’t mean to,” Bucky sincerely apologized.

     He took you by surprise but you were grateful for his humbleness. Men who apologized for their mistakes were far and few but it made your Bucky all the more special. You feigned annoyance but failed when you gave in and a smile graced your face. You accepted his apology then pulled him down for a quick kiss.

     “I forgive you Bucky. But the next time you cheat, I’ll have you on the ground,” you sternly threatened.

     Bucky smirked and bit his lip. He completely missed your point and took your threat as more of a delight than a punishment. He’d love for you to be on top of him but for the sake of not angering you, he promised not to cheat at any of your board games.

     “Alright doll, I promise.”

     Bucky kissed you then you pulled him down so he could lay on you. You ran your fingers through his head and hummed in contentment.

     You would never admit it, but the only game you had ever lost was that of love. Bucky never needed to cheat to win your heart. He had it all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in a super cheesy mood so I came up with this! Let me know if you groaned at how cheesy this was! If you did my mission has been accomplished! >:D  
> I know without a shadow of a doubt that Bucky would be the best boyfriend EVER ;3;  
> Thank you so much for your support everyone!! ;w;  
> New series will be posted tomorrow!!  
> Comment/Kudo to let me know what you thought!! :DD


	8. Bad Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Does it look bad?” you asked in a broken voice.

 

**_ Hairstyling Assassins and Bald Heads _ **

 

     Bucky ran to the launchpad as soon as he heard the quincarrier land. He and some of the other Avengers had stayed in the tower since they weren’t needed for the mission. After a three day mission, Bucky was eager to see you. More importantly he wanted to make sure you were alright.

     “Status report.” Natasha ordered over the intercom so everyone in the tower could hear.

     “Steve, Sam, and Tony need medical attention,” Wanda responded.

     Her words made Bucky jump down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Your older sister hadn’t mentioned you and although he did his best not to think about it, Bucky couldn’t help but think something terrible had happened to you.

     Bucky jumped down the final flight of stairs then bolted for the room his returning teammates were in. Once inside, the super soldier saw Steve, Sam, and Tony. They were beaten up pretty bad but it was nothing life threating. Bucky noticed that Tony had a massive black eye and couldn’t help but amusingly wonder who he pissed off. Wanda was the last to exit the quincarrier. Her brother rushed to her and she reassured him that she was alright. Pietro looked around for his other sister but Wanda told him that you had-

     “Wanda!” Bucky called as he ran to her.                              

     The young woman looked up when she had heard her name. She saw her teammate running towards her and she knew what he was going to ask. Her expression slightly dropped which only fueled Bucky’s growing fears.

     “Wanda, where’s (Y/N)?” the ex-assassin hastily asked as he tried to catch his breath.

     “I’m not too sure, but I saw her running to her room,” Wanda hesitantly answered.

     She knew why but remember that you made her promise to not tell Bucky. Wanda’s answer only made Bucky worry more.

     “Was she hurt?!”

     “No. Not to my knowledge. We fought side by side and she was unharmed…for the most part…”

     Wanda’s words trailed off as she pondered whether or not to tell Bucky what had happened.

_'Sisters never snitch’_ was your motto and Wanda knew you would never forgive her for snitching but as Wanda looked at Bucky’s worried expression, she thought it best to be a snitch.

     “…But she was crying when we-“

     Bucky bolted out of the room before your older sister could even finish. You had been through many horrible events and had experienced agonizing physical pain but _never_ , had Bucky seen you cry. His heart raced as his mind began to torment him with terrible scenarios. The ex-assassin scaled the stairs at lightning speed. When he finally reached your floor, he rushed to your door then bursted inside the room, fully prepared to administer first aid. Your boyfriend froze when he saw you sitting on your bed with a sheet over your head. Worst of all…you were indeed crying…

     Bucky cautiously approached you. He didn’t know what horrific event had reduced you to tears but he knew that he had to be gentle with you. The ex-assassin quietly advanced towards you and placed his warm hand on your back when he had finally reached you. He did a quick check to make sure you weren’t bleeding. When he saw that there were no signs of blood or injury, he began to tenderly rub your back. You choked out a sob when you felt his comforting touch.

     “(Y/N), dollface, what’s wrong?” Bucky gently cooed as he sat down on the bed next to you.

     The tenderness of his voice made you cry even harder. You loved him. You loved him so much; but would he love you after you showed him? The thought made you choke on your tears.

     “Oh doll,” Bucky comforted as he wrapped his arms around your covered form.

     He pulled you close to him and reassuringly rubbed your back as you cried in his arms. Bucky could feel your tears seep through the sheet you had over your head. Your loving boyfriend pulled you closer and rested his cheek on your head. He peppered your covered head with kisses and whispered soothing words into your ear. Bucky’s loving affection soothed your tortured soul and you eventually stopped crying. Once you had calmed, Bucky asked the question you dreaded to hear…

     “(Y/N), what happened?”

     There was a long period of silence that followed. You were at war with yourself. You were terrified that if you showed him, he would breakup with you. The thought was unbearable. Maybe you could cast an illusion on your hair to make it look the way it used to? With a defeated sigh you reasoned that you’d have to show him sooner or later.

     “Will you still love me if I show you?”

     “(Y/N) Maximoff my darling, I will love you forever and always,” Bucky swore with a smile.

     His reaffirmation and the kiss he placed on the top of your head gave you the strength to pull off the sheet and reveal yourself to him.

     Your heart stopped when Bucky’s eyes widened at the sight of your butchered hair. There were clumps of your hair that had been completely hacked off. One side of your hair was one length while the other side was far shorter. The tips of your mangled hair looked burnt but luckily for you, you didn’t have any bald spots. Much to your sorrow, your once beautiful hair had been butchered beyond recognition. You felt tears forming in your eyes when Bucky remained silent.

     “Does it look bad?” you asked in a broken voice.

     You felt a lump in your throat form as you awaited Bucky’s answer. You sobbed in relief when he smiled sweetly at you. Bucky looked down at you with shining eyes then shrugged.

     “I’ve had worse,” the super soldier replied with a grin.

     He certainly had. Bucky never had good luck when it came to haircuts. You bit back a laugh when you remembered the time when he came back to the tower with a bowl cut. Luckily Clint was able to reshape his hair and make Bucky look more presentable.

     You were overjoyed that Bucky still loved you regardless of your mangled hair. You felt tears of relief forming in your eyes. As soon as he saw your tears, Bucky pulled you close to him and kissed the top of your head.

     “Tony laughed at me,” you sniffled as you remembered his mockery.

     “Is that how he got that impressive black eye?” Bucky questioned with a smile.

     “Bastard had it coming.”

     Bucky laughed and hugged you tightly. He loved it when you punched Tony. There were so many reasons to slug that annoying bastard. After Bucky had had his laugh, he tugged at your sheet as he led you to the bathroom adjoined to your room. You held his warm hand but kept a tight grip on the sheet you had re-covered your head with. Bucky told you to sit in a chair he had placed in the bathroom then left to retrieve something.

     Your eyebrows knitted in confusion when he came back with a large black box. Your eyes widened when Bucky opened the box. Inside was all sorts of scissors, combs, and many other utensils for…cutting hair…

     You panicked when Bucky tried to remove the sheet from your head. You had had your fill of horrible haircuts and the _last_ thing you wanted was another butchery of the hair you had left. You resisted again when he tried to pull the sheet off your head.

     “Don’t be afraid dollface, there’s nothing to hide,” Bucky gently reassured you.

     “…will you still love me?” you meekly questioned as you felt more tears forming in your eyes.

     “(Y/N) Maximoff my darling, I will love you forever and always,” Bucky swore again with a smile.

     His words gave you the courage to let go of the sheet and allow him to slip it off your head. You reluctantly looked in the mirror in front of you. Tears of humiliation filled your eyes as you looked at your butchered hair. Bucky placed a kiss on your cheek and reassured you that you were as beautiful as ever. You had been so absorbed in hating your reflection that you hadn’t noticed Bucky standing behind you with a pair of scissors in his hand. You whirled around and stared at him with wide, horrified eyes.

     “Wait! Do you know what you’re doing!?” you practically screeched out of pure panic.

     “No worries doll. Clint showed me how to cut hair. He even gave me a few styling tips and fancy hair products,” Bucky informed you.

_'That explains a lot,’_ you thought to yourself

     Bucky and Clint had stayed behind a couple of times while the rest of you went on missions so the two of them were alone together pretty often. It was funny, you never thought that two master assassins would be exchanging hair care tips. It also explained why Bucky’s hair had been so shiny, voluminous, and sweet scented.

     You trusted Bucky more than anyone and (reluctantly) consented to him cutting your hair. You closed your eyes and bit your cheek when you heard the scissors snip and your hair fall to the floor. As the clipping continued, you decided to focus on something else.

     “What happened?” Bucky questioned.

     “We were fighting in an open area and even though we were winning, everyone was getting pretty beaten up. Wanda and I had just reflected a barrage of bullets when a grenade was thrown at us. It happened so fast I didn’t even have time to use my powers and deflect it. All I had time to do was push Wanda away from it,” you somberly recalled. You would have never have forgiven yourself if your older sister had been hurt…

     “I was able to form a small shield around me but it happened so fast that I wasn’t able to cover myself completely. The grenade went off as soon as it touched the ground…”

     “I was lucky to walk away in one piece but when I saw giant chunks of my hair on the ground I lost it.”

     “He’s dead isn’t he?” Bucky asked, referring to the Deadman who had thrown the grenade.

     “Damn fucking straight that bitch is dead!” you hollered in pure rage.

     Bucky snorted then laughed at your answer. You always came up with such colorful curses. Steve disapproved of it but Bucky thought it was insanely cute.

     You relaxed as you enjoyed the feeling of your boyfriend cutting your hair. It was oddly soothing considering you were terrified of having your hair ruined for a second time (in one day no less!). You hummed in pleasure as his fingers ran through your hair and massaged your scalp. The sound of scissors snipping away at your (remaining) hair didn’t scare you as much. You heard a blow-dryer start and felt it swirl your hair around and dry it. Bucky floofed your hair then moved it around a bit.

     “There, all done,” Bucky announced as he took a step back to admire his work. He hoped you liked it as much as he did.

     A loud gasp came from you when you opened your eyes. Your jaw dropped when you saw your reflection and you felt tears of pure joy form in your eyes. Your hair was marvelous! Bucky had done an amazing job with everything! The layers, the form, the style, everything! The ex-assassin humbly offered you a handheld mirror so that you could see the back which was just as breathtaking.

     “Do you like it…?” Bucky hesitantly asked.

     You whirled around and threw yourself into his arms as an answer.

     “Yes Bucky I love it so much! Wow it looks better than before!” you beamed as you turned to look at your reflection.

     “I’m glad you like it.”

     “Like it? I love it! This amazing haircut has changed my entire life! I feel so beautiful,” you cheered as you pulled Bucky down for a kiss.

     He laughed when you peppered his face with kisses of gratitude. You pulled him close and held him tightly as you continuously told him how much you loved your haircut. When your excitement had died down, you turned back to admire your reflection.

     “You passed the test,” you told Bucky. Your boyfriend looked at you in confusion and nonverbally asked you to explain your statement.

     “They say it isn’t true love until your crush get a horrible haircut. If you still love them after a terrible haircut, then it’s the purest form of human love.”

     Bucky laughed. He had no idea where you had gotten that from but regardless of what haircut you had, no matter how horrible, he’d love you till the end of time.

     “(Y/N) Maximoff my darling, I would still be madly in love with you even if you went bald,” Bucky teased with a smile.

     “I would pay to see that,” a certain obnoxious billionaire joked over the intercom.

      Even though you had just received the best haircut of your life, you were sensitive about the earlier events of the day. Tony’s offensive tease made tears form in your eyes. That bastard was going to pay for being such a jerk! Bucky was equally angered by Stark’s insensitivity but instead of beating him senseless, Bucky had a darker plan…

     “(Y/N) wait,” Bucky called as he grabbed your arm to stop you. You were about to nag at him for stopping you but you smirked at what he had in mind.

     “I’ll go with you,” Bucky stated as he pulled out an electric razor from Clint’s hairdresser kit. He turned it on to make sure Tony knew what was to come.

     “Shit!” Tony cursed as he bolted out of whatever room he was in. You heard someone cackle then grab the microphone of the intercom.

     “He’s heading for the seventh floor!” Natasha snitched, eager to see what you and Bucky had in mind for the obnoxious billionaire.

      “You hold him down, I’ll shave him!” you told Bucky as the two of you bolted for the elevator.

     “How much hair are you going to shave?”

_“Every hair on his fucking head,”_ you sinisterly replied. You could hear Natasha roar in laughter and knew she was going to get a kick out of watching the two of you torture Tony.

     You and Bucky had just reached the seventh floor when you saw Tony at the other end of the hallway. You shouted a string of curses and before he could get far you sent a purple burst of energy from your hand. Much to your delight, it knocked him off his feet and he fell flat on his ass. The bastard was tricky, clever and eventually escaped. He had just stood up when Bucky tackled him to the ground.

     The soon-to-be bald man struggled against your boyfriend’s hold but his efforts were fruitless. Tony was panting and staring at you with wide and fearful eyes as you slowly stalked towards him. Once you stood in front of him, you turned on the razor and smirked sinisterly.

     You weren’t the only one who was going to get a life changing haircut.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who got :)) a fucking horrible :))) haircut? :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))  
> (me) BUT I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡  
> An important lesson I learned: never sass the person cutting your hair (she had it coming though!!!୧(๑•̀ᗝ•́)૭ )  
> Reader is Wanda and Pietro's little sister because I love those two so much!! ;3;   
> Reader's powers are similar to Wanda's only your energy is purple (since Wanda is red and Pietro is blue)  
> More chpts on the way since I have no intention of leaving the house with a haircut like this :)))))))))))))))))))))


	9. Spies AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'In the next life my love,’ was your final song as The Siren.

**_ The Siren's Song for Her One and Only Love _ **

**__ **

 

_“You’re our last hope.”_

     Bucky's eyes left the papers he had been reading to study the expression of the stoic man in front of him. SHEILD had fallen and although Fury had no official status of power, it was well known that he was an indisputable leader and to refuse one of his assigned missions was a death wish. Luckily for the former Winter Soldier, death was something he had never been afraid of.

     “We’ve already sent everyone we have to catch her but no one’s been able to do it. She’s quiet, no one can hear her or see her until its already too late, she does her thing then leaves without a trace. No fingerprints, no witnesses, no nothing. She leaves nothing behind.”

     “I know what you’re thinking; why you?” Fury vocalized the question that hung heavy in the poorly lit room. Bucky stared at the impassive man, silently urging him to continue. The Director slowly turned around with a sarcastic grin on his face.

     “Takes a ghost to catch a ghost,“  he stated in a stale, cold, sarcastic but ‘humorous’ tone.

     The super soldier did nothing to hold back a growl of rage that erupted from deep within his throat. Any mention of his former life made him instantly aggressive. But Bucky was well aware that he could growl, bark, and bite all he wanted but the choice to leave was always there. That was the reason why Bucky stayed, death wish or not, the super soldier always had a choice. After seeing that Bucky had decided to stay and take the mission, Fury continued.

    “You’re going to need these,” the stern man stated as he slid a pair of earpieces towards Bucky who in return looked up at the Director with a questioning look.

     “We know almost nothing about her, but we call her ‘Siren’,” Fury paused to let the information sink in.

     “‘Siren’?” Bucky echoed the name as a question and watched as the impassive man in front of him pulled out another manila folder.

     “Yes, ‘Siren’. Named her after the creature in Greek mythology. Granted she isn’t half fish but she’s just as dangerous,” the Director’s tone dropped as the severity of the briefing continued to intensify.

     “She’s an enchantress and possesses powers we don’t understand. She can control minds like Wanda and make people do whatever she wants.”

     Every muscle in Bucky’s body stiffened at the thought of another person being inside of his head again. He was about to get up and leave but Fury caught his attention before he could rise from his chair.

     “The only difference is Siren sings. If she can’t sing, she’s powerless,” Fury informed in a grave tone, emphasizing each word. He needed the ex-assassin to know what he was going up against.

      “These,” Fury stated as he pointed to the earpieces, “will be your only hope of making it out alive.” Bucky took his only lifeline into his hands then briefly examined them.

     “They block out all abnormal sound waves. You’ll be able to hear the world around you, but anything that comes out of Siren’s mouth will be silenced. Since we don’t know what she’s capable of, the only thing we can do is protect you from her,” the director finished.

     Bucky briefly opened the file and skimmed through it. The file was mostly a list of dead ends, failed missions, and theories of what the manipulative enchantress’s actual weakness maybe but other than that there was nothing of great importance.

     “What has she done to make her wanted?” Bucky asked, it had been the first question he had asked since Fury had summoned him to this underground facility and now he felt it appropriate to absorb as much information as possible.

     “America isn’t the only country she’s wanted in,” Fury corrected, “she’s wanted in sixty-four countries.” Bucky stared at the informant man with wide eyes.

     “She’s almost as popular as you,” Fury joked with a dry chuckle but Bucky chose to ignore the stale, overused joke. He wasn’t who he was in the past. The person he was in the present moment was who he defined himself as.

     “What did she do?” the former assassin asked as he scanned through the papers in search of an answer, but Fury beat him to it.

     “Theft,” the Director stated simply, but Bucky knew there was more to it than that so he waited for the man to continue.

     “In the beginning she stole petty little things like illegal guns, money, and some black market stuff, but as time went on she started getting more creative. Now she’s a threat to the entire world. She’s been stealing blueprints for nuclear weapons, hacking into the governments of the world, stealing information then selling it to someone who shouldn’t have that knowledge,” Fury’s tone turned from grave to humorous as he found it amusing how much havoc she had wreaked.

     “Hell! The girl stole some blueprints from Stark from right under his nose, leaked info about SHIELD way before Natasha had to and the metal Cap’s shield is made of, you know, the rarest metal in the world? She beat that tin bastard to it and nobody even noticed!” the intimidating Director shook his head and chuckled as he thought about just how good Siren was.

     Had fate led her down a different path, Fury would have wanted her to be part of the team. He knew she and Natasha would get along just fine. But in his eyes the Siren had chosen her own path, and it is because of that choice that she must be stopped.

     As Fury entertained himself with his strange sarcasm, Bucky retreated into the recesses of his mind; something didn’t add up. There were several pieces missing from the puzzle.

     “What else?” Bucky asked, he needed all the information he could get about his target.

     “Brutal assassinations,” Fury answered and Bucky wasn’t surprised.

     “How many has she killed?” Bucky asked and braced himself for a gut wrenching number.

     “We stopped counting years ago,” Fury gravely stated which made Bucky look up at him. The Director had always liked numbers, so for him to lose count…

     “We’ve noticed that she stays neutral, since the people she’s killed are from all different sides. She’s all over the place so our guess is she works for whoever offers her a job and good money,” the stern man spoke in a bitter tone, clearly disgusted by the girl.

     “Well, even though we lost count a long time ago, it’s hard to kill thousands of people and keep it a secret. She probably could, I wouldn’t put it past her given how powerful she is,” Fury added in a bored tone as he shrugged his shoulders.

     “I wanted to know more about her,” the stoic man commented as he tapped his finger against the cold wood of the table in front of him.

     A cold dampness hung in the air since the secret underground facility had no insolation whatsoever. The musty lightbulb that hung from the ceiling did little to illuminate the small room but Bucky could see the conflicted expression on the Director’s face.

     “We don’t know exactly where Siren from but intelligence had a rough idea of the places she’s been.”

     “Intel has an idea where she’s from; a country that has been at full out war for the past one hundred and fifty-seven years,” Fury stated in a low voice, looking down and fumbling with a pen that had been lying on the table. He seemed to be in deep thought and Bucky deemed it wise to stay silent.

     “We have no idea how old she is, but chances are she’s never lived in a year of peace.”

     “That does some serious damage to the way a person looks at the world,” Fury mused as his eyebrows knitted together. Just when Bucky thought the man might show some sort of emotion, Fury’s cold stone expression returned.

     “Which makes her all the more dangerous. She’s crafty, she’s cold blooded, and she’s impossible to catch,” Fury finished with an agitated sigh.

     “Are you sure?” the super soldier’s question caused Fury to gaze at him intensely.

     “Or are you looking for the wrong clues?” he finished. Fury stared at the ex-assassin in silence.

     Bucky reopened the folder and read through everything again and again until he found the answer. The super soldier looked up at Fury then nodded. The former head of SHIELD said nothing in return, he knew that the infamous Winter Soldier in Bucky had figured out (or at least had an idea of) where the manipulative enchantress was hiding. Bucky took the earpieces from the table then stood up to leave. He had just placed his hand on the doorknob when he heard Fury break his silence.

     If there was one thing Fury wanted Bucky to know is that;

      _“A siren without her song is nothing.”_

     The director never broke eye contact with the ex-assassin and was only certain his point had been made clear when the super soldier gave a deep nod. Fury needed Bucky to know just how powerful his opponent was, and her greatest weakness.

     With Fury’s words echoing in his head, Bucky left the room to prepare for his mission. He would be leaving immediately but had to make sure he had everything he needed to defend himself against his target. A pain of nostalgia hit Bucky like a train and made his stomach churn as he packed all of the weapons he had used back when he was…

 _'No,’_ he immediately told himself.

     He was a changed man and fought for peace and justice. He was the good guy and the Siren was the bad guy. Bucky would be taking down a criminal that has disrupted the peace and killed thousands.

     Siren was a criminal; a twisted, cold blooded criminal who is a girl who grew up in a war torn country and has never lived a year of her life in peace…

     Bucky halted when he had realized his final thought. He lingered on it but quickly shut the thought down. Sympathy would cloud his judgment and she didn’t deserve it. He had lived through countless wars, and knew that Siren had chosen her own path. You always have a choice to do the right thing. She chose the path, and that’s why he was coming after her. The Siren had chosen her fate, now she would pay for her crimes with her life.

 

_~_

_You had felt the Ghost’s presence the moment he had stepped into your territory._

_His piercing stare bore into your soul but his presence filled you with a burning annoyance._

_The toy Soldier and his silly guns would have to wait;_

_You had work to do._

     The night was bitterly cold and hostiles were everywhere but Bucky kept a close eye on you. He watched you from the roof of a warehouse. The full moon had been hidden behind thick clouds, allowing Bucky to easily hide himself in the rooftop’s many shadows. The soon-to-be assassin chose not to set up his gun but to follow you instead. You were sneaking around the edge of a heavily guarded warehouse. The guards were armed to the teeth with weapons and all of them had extensive training in hand to hand combat. Bucky learned that the moment he had engaged them. He killed them quickly and quietly, then hid their bodies. The last thing he wanted was to draw the attention of the other guards.

     Bucky stalked you from the rooftops as you snuck around the perimeter of the many warehouses. Bucky figured that you were there to steal something important. He’d let you enter the warehouse, but you’d have a bullet in your chest as soon as you came out. Bucky followed you as you crept around the maze of metal buildings in the compound. He was impressed that you had been able to scale the multiple electrified, barbwire fences and sneak past the army of guards. Then again, you were far from an ordinary human.

     As the righteous assassin stalked you, he examined your appearance to inform Intel; if he made it out alive. It was difficult to see you at all, your black clothes concealed your form into the shadows perfectly. The only thing he was able to see was the huge piece of black cloth you had wrapped around your shoulders to cover your head and act as a hood. The excess material flowed behind you like a shadow. You had a light green, sheer material, shawl wrapped around your back and tucked into the crook of your elbows. He wondered why you wore something as noticeable and unnecessary as that but he’d quickly see why.

     A soundless gasp left Bucky’s lips when he saw two guards approaching the same corner you were heading towards. You and the guards’ paths were going to intercept and Bucky knew he had to finish you before the guards did. He quickly grabbed his sniper gun then laid on his stomach and set up the gun but stopped to witness the horror unfold.

     Bucky watched as you and the guard’s paths met. As soon as they saw you they yelled in their language at you to halt and immediately pointed their massive guns at you. Their guns clicked, but they never got the chance to fire.

     The super soldier’s eyes widened when he saw the guards freeze in place. When he saw your mouth move but heard nothing, he knew you had begun to sing.

     You kept your head low but from your mouth came a sweet song in a tongue that wasn’t of this world. The guards watched you with wide eyes, their bodies were paralyzed but they felt no fear as they fell deeper and deeper under your spell. You had taken their minds and free will. You the two bulking men at your mercy. You continued your sweet song to make sure they were completely under your control before continuing.

     Bucky froze in place when your hood flew off and he saw your face. Your eyes shone with an otherworldly, fluorescent green mist and your (H/C) locks swirled around you. The sheer green shawl swirled around you and made you look all the more bewitching. You slowly out stretched your hands in front of you then twirled your fingers in different directions, puppeteering the guards and controlling their actions. He’d be lying if he said you weren’t beautiful, in a terrifying and deadly way. Had Bucky not been wearing the earpieces, he knew he would have been at your mercy as well.

     You continued your twisted but melodious song as your eyes shone a fluorescent green. Bucky watched in horror when you jerked your fingers into a strange angle then the guards placed their guns back on their backs. Your hair and the green material swirled around you as you continued to puppeteer them only this time, you had them withdraw their daggers. Bucky knew what was to come.

     You continued to sing as you made them hide in a niche in between two warehouses, completely hidden from sight. Your song grew louder then your swirling fingers suddenly jerked. Bucky heard the sound of metal slicing flesh then the thud of two dead bodies drop to the ground. He saw the splatters of blood stain the metal walls and the pool of blood quickly spreading from the bodies. A few moments later your fingers stilled and you finished your bewitching song. Your hair and your green shawl slowly fell and returned to their natural position.

     Bucky stared at you from his hiding spot, frozen in shock. He had never seen anything like you; such beauty but such horrific powers. You were something he had seen only in his nightmares. Yes, you were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but you had to be killed. No one could possess a power like yours.

     You pulled up your hood to conceal your face then continued to navigate the maze of warehouses as if nothing happened. Bucky watched you as you pulled out a piece of paper then looked at the number next to a door (probably checking to make sure it was the right one). He watched as you punched in a series of numbers on the lock pad on the door handle, then slip into the warehouse without a sound.

     The assassin decided to set up his sniper gun. He had to be ready so when you came out, he could kill you and go home. All he had to do was wait. Simple right?

_Wrong._

     Just when Bucky was about to load his gun, a guard came out of nowhere. He raised his knife above his head but before he could strike, Bucky whirled around and quickly disarmed his opponent and n the process broke the guard’s arm. His howl of pain pierced through the silence of the night. Bucky quickly silenced his enemy but it was too late. The guard’s scream had alerted the rest in the area. The sounds of guns firing and shouting came from all directions. Bucky cursed under his breath then quickly grabbed his gun just in time to shoot a guard that had tried to sneak up on him. An earsplitting siren shattered the silence of the night, alerting everyone (including you) that there was an intruder. A group of guards had reached the top of the roof, giving Bucky had no choice but to blow his cover. A barrage of bullets flew past him as Bucky came out of his hiding place and bolted for the edge of the roof.

     Just when he had jumped from the roof, you came running out of the warehouse with a medium sized crate in your arms. The moon had come out from behind the clouds and as Bucky fell from the roof. You whirled around to look at him and your hood fell back, exposing your face to him.The moonlight illuminated your face and he was awestruck by your beauty. But the scowl that stained your pretty face pulled him from his fantasies and back to reality. His descent towards you and the trigger happy guards that were quickly surrounding you only fed your growing anger.

     Bucky gazed down at you as he fell from the high rooftop. When he was close to the ground you reached out for him. Before his feet could touch the ground, you grabbed him by the collar of his suit, twirled your body with his in tow, then slammed him into the metal wall of a nearby warehouse just in time to save him from a barrage of bullets.

 _“Stupid Soldier!”_ you snarled in a language he didn’t understand as your rage filled eyes bore into his.

     Bucky watched as a bright green mist began to form and dance in your eyes, signaling that you were going to summon your powers and sing your bewitching song. You cursed him in a different, otherworldly language then threw him to the ground just in time to save him from yet again another volley of bullets. You glared at him one last time before grabbing the crate, then bolting for the exit. The weight of the crate slowed you down but you knew you had to get out ASAP. You were unstoppable in close quarters but in a chaotic environment with enemies coming at you from all sides…

     You were a fish in a barrel, running through the alley between two massive warehouses with armed guards hunting you from the towering rooftops. You looked over your shoulder when you heard someone running behind you and saw it was the Soldier.

     You snarled at him, _‘Shameless bastard. First he tries to kill me now he’s following me because he doesn’t know the way out.’_

     You forsook the assassin; this was his punishment for trying to kill you. You bolted through the many twists and turns of the maze-like compound until you reached the final warehouse. Behind it was the gate and the only exit. You hid in the shadows of the final warehouse and held your breath as guards swarmed the rooftops of the surrounding warehouses. Just as you were about to open the door and enter the safety of the last metal building, from the corner of your eye you saw the Soldier. The idiot was sprinting through the shadows and heading straight towards a trap the guards had laid. You cursed him for the millionth time tonight. You were so close to leaving! You were so close to getting out of this hellhole with the crate but as you watched the assassin blindlessly running towards the enemy's line of fire, you knew you had to do something.

     Everything looked the same to the super soldier sprinting through the endless maze of warehouses. Bucky did his best to hide but the moonlight had lessened the shadows and the guards had swarmed like ants and covered the rooftops of every building. Bucky frantically ran in the directions his gut told him to and eventually he saw a building he vaguely recognized. Before he could turn the corner he was roughly grabbed by the arm and pulled to the side just in time to be saved from a volley of bullets. Bucky fell back into the shadows but twisted his body to defend himself and in the process, he threw you into the illuminated, open area in front of the warehouse. His body slammed against the metal wall and caught the attention of all the surrounding guards. Their eyes fell upon you, lying face down on the hard dirt ground. You winced as you slowly pushed yourself up only to look up and see countless guards aiming their guns at you. You were choking on the blood flowing from your busted lip when you heard the commander order them to fire at you.

     Your assassin pushed himself off the wall to run to protect you, but before he could, you pushed yourself to your knees and began to sing. Your hair and green shawl swirled around you as you twirled your fingers and bewitched every guard in the area. You sung in a hauntingly beautiful voice as you wailed in anger and puppeteered every single guard. You pulled the invisible strings of bewitchment you had attached to them. You made them point their guns away from you, and towards each other. Your gracefully twirling fingers suddenly jerked as you bellowed in rage. Your rage-driven bewitchment caused the guards to open fire on each other. Countless guards dropped dead and the remaining ones opened fire on the reinforcements pouring in.

     Everything was going perfectly until you choked on the blood pouring from your busted lip and your song faltered. Your enchantment shook and weakened and because of your waning concentration, a guard was able to break your spell long enough to fire a bullet into your side. When you cried out in pain and fell to the ground, your spell broke completely. The remaining guards took back their wills and pointed their guns back to you. Bucky jumped forward and pulled you from their line of fire just in time to save you but the two of you were far from being safe. He pulled you into the shadows then carried you bridal style as he kicked open the door and entered the final warehouse.

      He almost dropped you when you squirmed in his arms. You shouted in a foreign language and twisted your body to point at the crate behind Bucky. You ripped yourself from his arms and fell to the ground with a harsh thud, then dragged yourself to the crate. Because of your injuries, the metal crate and the contents inside were unbearably heavy. You reminded yourself what was inside the crate. The thought gave you the strength you needed to lift and carry it. The troublesome Soldier made himself useful and scooped you into his arms then hastily carried you into the building. You held the crate close to your body and he couldn’t help but wonder what was inside.

     When Bucky had reached the door to the other side, he reached out for the handle but before he could grab it, you twisted your body and bit the exposed flesh of your assassin’s neck. Your hand flew up to cover his mouth and silence his scream. The Ghost Story looked down at you with anger and confusion staining his handsome face. You whispered something in your language but he couldn’t understand you. When you saw he didn’t know your language, you cupped your hand to your ear then pointed to the door. It was then Bucky realized what you were trying to tell him. The once hellish and chaotic environment had become dead silent. The shouts and gunfire had been replaced by an eerily stillness. The two of you exchanged glances then nodded in understandment.

_‘It's a trap.’_

     You winced as you unwrapped yourself from your enemy’s arms. You hid your pain and the blood gushing from your side from him. You refused to show him any sign of weakness. After all, he was here to kill you. You stood in front of him and mimed your plan of action. Bucky looked at you in confusion but quickly interpreted your nonverbal message.

_‘I sing. You run. Motorbike. Hidden in bushes. Left of building.’_

     Bucky nodded to let you know your wordless message was received. He moved towards the door but you put your arm against his broad chest to hold him back.

_‘Wait. I tell you. When to go.’_

     You shoved the crate into his arms.

_‘Don’t let go. Keep close. Don’t fucking lose.’_

     You looked him dead in the eye as you pointed to at a massive, steel dumpster then ran your finger aggressively across your throat. Bucky didn’t need a translation for that.

_‘Betray me and I’ll leave you to rot.’_

     Your death glare bore into his very soul. You were only satisfied when your assassin deeply nodded in understandment. You stared at him as a bright green flame began to form in your eyes, your hair began to rise and slowly swirl around your head. It was a reminder of how powerful you were and how stupid he’d be for betraying you. You turned your heel then faced the door and began to sing.

     Your song was quiet and gentle at first but as time passed it grew mightier and stronger. Your fingers rose to control your foes and you knew you had them when you heard heavy metal guns click all around you. You screamed and jerked your finger and under your control, the guards opened fire on themselves once again.

     Everything was going as planned until a grenade was unintentionally dropped by a guard under your control. Several massive metal cargo crates were overturned as if they were toy blocks and the walls of the warehouse were torn to shreds. The blast sent you flying across the room, shards of metal tore through your clothes and sliced your skin. You coughed and gasped for air but quickly returned your focus to singing. But the falter in your song and your bleeding fingers weakened your spell. Your puppets retaliated, then all hell broke loose. The guards poured into the building like ants but before they had the chance to shoot you, the Soldier fired several shots, killing all of the guards around you. As gently as he could, Bucky placed your broken body over his shoulder, grabbed the crate, shot more guards, then bolted for where you said the motorbike was hidden.

     You felt death knocking on your door and knew you had to regain your strength; you needed to feed. Control over others was what empowered you and what would keep death at bay.

     You stabbed the Soldier’s side with your elbow. He hollered in pain and dropped you to the ground. Your broken body fell to the cold dirt ground with a harsh thud. A strangled cry left your bleeding lips but you quickly pushed yourself to your knees and started to sing with all your might. Your hair and green shawl rose and swirled around your head as you twirled then jerked your fingers. You immediately felt yourself growing stronger as you toyed and bent the wills of your puppets. The entire time your assassin stood by your side, protecting you by opening fire on any guard that strayed too close to you.

      On the same side, the Siren and the Soldier were unstoppable.

     When your eyes shone a blinding shade of fluorescent green, the Soldier knew you had reached the pinnacle of your powers. Although the fact that you drew power from controlling others was beyond disturbing, Bucky knew that he needed to be on your side if he was going to make it out alive.

      Your powers had brought you back from the dead but you felt yourself growing tired. The guards kept pouring in and you knew you couldn’t last forever. You had to escape immediately. Your enemies were closing in on you and you knew that it was now or never. You turned to the Soldier and yelled something he didn’t understand but he spurred into action when you motioned for him to follow you.

     You had almost reached the bike when you realized the Soldier had forgotten the crate. You didn’t even bother cursing him. You foolishly blocked out everything and focused solely on the crate as you sprinted towards it. You had just grabbed it when a bullet embedded itself into your shoulder then you were tackled to the ground before you could even scream. Immediately resisting, you kicked and squirmed but your attempts to escape were fruitless. A clammy hand roughly twisted your body then you came face to face with your attacker. His wormy lips stretched into a twisted smirk as he snarled and bared his yellowed, crooked teeth at you. He raised a knife over his head but before the blade could even come close to your throat, the Soldier’s heavy foot slammed into your attackers face and sent him flying backwards. A shiver ran down your spine at the sickening crack that rung through the air but the gunfires pulled you back to reality. The Ghost Story quickly pulled you to your feet.

     You heard the Soldier yell at you then you were suddenly pushed forward. You collapsed to the ground and gasped when you felt someone straddling you. Your eyes shot open when you felt warm air fanning against your face and saw the Soldier’s face inches from yours. His face was frozen in shock and it was only when you saw a thin streak of blood trail down his lip, did you see the thick knife embedded in his chest. You grabbed one of his many guns and shot his attacker, then your attention turned to the Soldier. All hell was breaking loose and you knew you had to escape. You squirmed out of his grasp then stood up and dragged him towards the motorbike. A grenade laid a few inches away, you activated it then threw it at the approaching guards. You hoped it would buy you some time.

     When you had reached your motorbike, you sat the Soldier on the seat, tied and secured the crate onto the basket of the rear, then hopped on and started the motor. Your assassin’s body swayed and you knew he had passed out from loss of blood. You cursed under your breath then grabbed your shawl and used it to tie his body to yours to keep him on the bike. You hit the gas then sped away from the compound. The guards followed you in their massive but slow vehicles. Luckily your motorbike was fast and after a few minutes, you were safe from your assailants; but you couldn’t slow down or relax.

     A growl of annoyance left you when you felt the Soldier’s unconscious form lean against your back.

 _“Don’t die on me you worthless piece of shit!”_ you barked in your language as you elbowed his still form. He didn’t respond. You pressed harder on the gas when you felt his blood seep through your clothes and wet your skin.

     You didn’t know why you were helping a man who had been sent to kill you. It was confusing and went against common sense, but for some reason you didn’t want him dead. You looked over your shoulder and at his unconscious form then scowled in annoyance.

_The Ghost and the Siren had more in common than they were willing to admit._

_~_

     A dull pain in his chest and abdomen roused Bucky from his sleep. He groggily opened his eyes to take in his surroundings but the lack of lighting made it difficult. The moonlight shone down from the holes in the old, leaking ceiling and did little to illuminate the small room he was in. The old and decaying wooden planks that acted as walls did little to retain heat. The dampness of the one roomed house plus the bitter cold of the night were a fatal combination. Bucky laid on the hard, cold dirt ground. The material he laid on was scratchy, coarse, and uncomfortable just like the blanket that had been placed on top of him. The ‘house’ looked like something out of a history book; from a time period where resources were limited and the people had to use raw material and whatever they could get their hands on to survive. Not live, survive.

     The intense pain dulled his senses but the assassin could faintly hear singing. Bucky stilled himself to listen to the voice. It was soft, elegant, and far from bewitching. The tune it sung was in a language he didn’t understand but it was beautiful beyond words. It calmed the aching of his body and soothed his muscles. Bucky relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the singing. Bucky groaned as he tried to move but winced and returned to his original position when his entire body throbbed. He panted for air as he rode out the waves of pain. The assassin tried to move again but cried out when the pain intensified.

 _“The more you move, the more you welcome infection,”_ a voiceannoyingly remarked in a foreign language from the other side of the room.

      Bucky jerked his head in the direction of the voice. His eyes had finally adjusted to the lighting and could now see clearly. He saw you on your knees with your back turned to him (which surprised him) as you rummaged through the crate from the compound. You knelt in the shadows of the room but your body was somewhat visible and Bucky openly eyed you up and down. You had wrapped white rags around your torso and other areas of your body to cover your wounds. Bucky’s eyes roamed over the countless scars that littered your exposed skin and knew many more laid beneath your makeshift bandages. The Soldier felt a slither of sympathy form in his heart but quickly cut the thread. He reassured himself that you deserved every last one of those scars.

     For a moment he wondered if you had been the one he heard singing but he quickly dismissed the thought. The only songs that came out of your mouth were manipulative, dark, and possessive. He reaffirmed himself that you weren’t capable of singing such a sweet song. A murderer like you could never possess something so beautiful.

     When you had finished with the crate, you grabbed some supplies then slowly rose to your feet. Bucky knew he should be ready to kill you but as you walked towards him and into the light, his mind went blank. You wore nothing but a black sports bra and black boyshorts. You raised an eyebrow as your assassin openly drank in the sight of your body with a moonstruck gaze. He gaped at you as if you were the most beautiful and immaculate thing in the world, but you knew you were far from either.

     Bucky looked into your eyes when you had fully stepped into the moonlight. Your expression was impassive and impossible to read, but he recognized the look in your eyes. Your (e/c) eyes were probably shining and full of life at one point, but the fires of war had snuffed out the light and killed all innocence. Maybe once upon a time, you had sung sweet songs but he knew that now you were only capable of deathly beautiful, demented wails. Your soulless eyes were empty and bleak. You seemed to have nothing to lose; which made you all the more dangerous.

     The Ghost Story quickly (and painfully) rose to a sitting position then leaned his wounded body on the decaying wooden wall. In his weakened state, you both knew that you could kill him easily but you had other plans.

     You casually sat by his side then fiddled with whatever you had brought with you. You sat by him as if he were your friend and not an assassin who had been sent to kill you. Showing him what you had in your hands, Bucky stared at the clean roll of bandage and bottle of rubbing alcohol in confusion. He looked at you and you did nothing to keep yourself from rolling your eyes. Without thinking, you grabbed the blanket covering him and yanked it off his body. Your assassin drew in a sharp breath and you snorted.

 _“The man sent to kill me is a prude?!”_ you openly mocked (since you knew he couldn’t understand you) with a hearty laugh.

     Bucky was taken aback by your actions for several reasons. First one being that he had nothing but his pants on and the frigid temperature of the night assaulted his exposed skin. Secondly, you had removed his gear and taken his weapons. The almost always armed super soldier was disturbed by how vulnerable he was. And lastly, being half naked with a beautiful and equally naked young woman (who could easily kill him) made him somewhat uncomfortable.

     You ignored his prudish behavior and spoke to him in your language as you unrolled the clean and sterile white cloth. You stopped when you saw the confusion written across his handsome face. Your eyes locked with his then you started speaking in many more different languages, trying to figure out which one he spoke.

     “English?”

     “Yes,” Bucky quickly blurted out before you could speak in a different language. He was impressed by how many you knew.

     “It is as I thought, your weapons origin from that region of the world,” you remarked in a bored tone.

     Bucky noted that he was able to hear you speak even though he was wearing the earpieces. He would have never thought you had a human voice. Your words were heavily accented and Bucky couldn’t help but be attracted to your voice, even though he knew that was the worst thing he could like about you. 

_'Her voice will be the death of me…literally…’_

     Bucky openly stared at you as you prepared your supplies (for heaven knows what). The silence was suffocating so he decided to break it before it could worsen.

     “Why did yo-“

     “Shht!” you sharply hissed in a scolding manner as you swatted a rag into your assassin’s face to silence him.

     “I am not in such a mood for your stupid questions!” you barked in annoyance as you finished unrolling the bandages. Once unraveled, you applied an antibacterial balm onto the white cloth.

     “Come,” you sharply ordered as you motioned your hand to yourself.

     Bucky did as he was told but the pain of the stab wounds in his torso caused him to cry out and fall back. Before he could hit the wooden wall, he felt an ice cold hand on his back catch him. You placed your other hand on his chest and slowly helped him move backwards to lean against the damp wooden wall. Once he had settled, you undressed the blood soaked bandages from his muscular chest and cleaned them with rubbing alcohol. You somehow managed to keep a straight face as you touched his warm and toned chest but you were powerless to stop the light blush that dusted your cheeks. All you could do was hope that he didn’t notice.

     He did, but believed your cheeks had reddened because of your lack of clothing in the freezing temperatures. You would have been lying if you said that his body didn’t stir a desire for touch deep within you. You had become so accustom to the cold metal of a gun that you had forgotten how comforting the warmth of another human was…

     Your assassin looked down at your face but the impassive expression you wore made it impossible to read you. For a split second he saw a look of yearning soften your hardened expression but it left as soon as it came.

     “Lean forward,” you instructed in a softer tone than before, “it will hurt, but I will try to be gentle.”

     The super soldier gritted his teeth and endured the pain as he did as you said. You quickly removed the last of his blood soaked bandages and began to wrap him in the white ones. Bucky noticed that the bandages you were wrapping around him were clean and sterile, while your injuries were covered by dirtied rags.

     Nothing about you made sense. You were a cold blooded murderer and a selfish thief. Yet you had saved his life multiple times in the compound, took him to a safe environment, saved his life again by removing the bullets embedded in his flesh and tended to his wounds. Now you were wrapping clean and sterile bandages around his injuries while yours were covered by dirty rags. Words were cheap and almost always lies, but you had never told a single one of them. More importantly, your actions of pure selflessness spoke volumes.

     Bucky quickly dropped the subject and he returned his focus back to reality. Yes, you were the most beautiful young woman he had ever laid eyes on, but you had been named Siren for a reason. You were deadly, you were merciless, and most importantly, you were his mission. You were a soulless monster without a conscious…

    …Right…?

     The super soldier was yanked from his thoughts when he felt your body close to his. Bucky could feel the cold radiating from your body and wondered how you were unfazed by the freezing temperatures of the night. You had halted your actions to gaze at the moon that shone through the giant hole in the ceiling. The assassin watched in wonder as your expression softened and the tension in your body slowly vanished. He watched you as you gazed up at the moon in a trance like state. Its light illuminated your face and he openly admired your beauty.

     “How long has it been…?” you whispered to yourself, “Since I have last seen her?”

     Bucky looked at you in confusion then turned his attention to the source of your awe. There was nothing special about the moon. It was a full moon but he failed to see what was so amazing about it. You sensed his confusion.

     “After years and years of biochemical weapons raining upon the land, our earth and our sky have been poisoned beyond cure. No longer can we see the sun or the stars…”

     “I have not seen the moon in over fifteen years…but she is as beautiful as I remember her…” you softly whispered as you gazed up at the moon in admiration. You drank in the sight since you didn’t know when you’d see her again.

     Bucky watched you reside in a serene trace then watched your body as you inhaled softly then exhaled and relaxed. His heart throbbed as he watched you. What Bucky had been told about you and what he saw were two totally different things.

     You looked up at the moon one last time before returning to your miserable reality. When you returned your attention to the Soldier, your impassive and empty expression returned. Bucky mourned the disappearance of your smile but knew better than to linger on his emotions. When you had finished dressing his wounds, you pulled yourself from the warmth of his body and rose to your feet. You turned from him and redressed yourself into your black clothes.

     “This is a safe house,” you factually stated as you dressed yourself, your back turned to him.

     “No enemies will find you here,” your tone was devoid of all emotions but your words were somewhat comforting to the wounded assassin.

     “But I will not return,” your voice hardened then you turned to face the Ghost and looked him dead in the eye.

     “From here on, you fend for yourself.”

     “If you are foolish enough to follow me or if our paths cross once again, I will kill you without hesitation,” you coldly swore as your glare bore into his soul. Your eyes shone with a bright green mist to insure him that your promise was not an empty one. You told him something in your special otherworldly language (which he and no other human could understand), grabbed the crate, then disappeared into the bitterly cold night.

     Bucky stared at the rickety closed door as he absorbed everything that had just happened. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind but the chaos was stilled when he felt something vibrate in the pocket of his pants.

     The assassin pulled out the small device and looked at the code on its tiny screen. All radio and satellite signals were heavily monitored in this country. The only way form of communication he had with his allies stateside was a tiny battery powered device that sent messages in a numerical code. The code was something only Bucky and a handful of other people could interpret.

_‘Seventy-two hours. Kill. The Siren. Back up. Sent. If mission not. Completed. In time given.’_

     With his orders in mind, Bucky pulled himself together then got up to ready himself. He redressed and rearmed himself before heading for the door. As the assassin moved, he noticed that his wounds were no longer hindering his moment, they weren’t even hurting. Bucky thought of you but turned off his emotions. You weren’t a human being, you were Siren, you were his mission.

     Once the assassin was suited up, he headed out into the bitter cold of the night to hunt you down like the criminal you were.

 

     Finding the direction you had headed in was more difficult than Bucky had previously thought. The thick vegetation surrounding him slowed his movement and he eventually had to take out his long knife and hack at the overgrown tropical bushes and vines that tangled around his body. The assassin noted that the vegetation of this land was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was mutated, gnarled, and beyond the recognition of its once natural form. You had been right about the biochemical weapons affecting the land…

     The assassin didn’t know how long he had been walking through the bitterly cold night. Time didn’t seem to exist in a hellhole liked this. He wondered if the light of the sun ever reached such a polluted land like this...

     After (what seemed like) hours, Bucky heard singing in the distance. It was the same voice from before! He quickly and quietly approached the sound but kept a distant. The assassin followed the singing until he saw a dim light in the distance. He followed the sweet song and ran towards the light and that’s where he found you.

     In the distance was what seemed like a small, very small, town surrounded by thick vegetation. Then again to call it a town was too embellishing. The ‘town’ consisted of decaying, burned, and barely standing small houses. They were held together with wooden planks, vines, and whatever else was available (which wasn’t much). The town was poverty-stricken and probably abandoned. Bucky wondered why you had stopped in such a desolated place.

     When you stopped your motorbike, you sang a song in your language. Then much to Bucky’s surprise, a woman came out of one of the buildings. She ran to you as you unhooked the metal crate from your motorbike. You held out the crate for her to take then conversed with her. The woman’s hands flew up to cover her mouth then she pulled you into a tight embrace. Bucky watched in confusion as you hugged her back. The woman cupped your face, said something, then kissed both your cheeks. She then took the crate from you and went back inside of the ramshackled building.

     Your assassin stood still as he tried to process what he had just witness. Not only had the woman embraced you, but she had kissed both your cheeks out of pure gratitude. How could anyone bring them to touch such a cold blooded killer like you? Surely the people of the local area knew of the atrocities you've committed. The thought baffled the super soldier. Everything about you confused him but Bucky quickly corrected himself. The crate you had given the woman was stolen and probably filled with illegal weapons or goods from the black market. It could even be blueprints for weapons of mass destruction. Nothing about you or what you did mattered.

     He was going to kill you. You were his mission.

     After the woman went back inside of the crumbling house, you dawned your helmet, remounted your motorbike, then sped off into the night. Bucky followed you from a distance but kept a close eye on you.

     You slowed when you came to a small, rotting shack. It was so decayed it blended into the thick vegetation surrounding it. Bucky wondered how the old wood was even standing. Your shelter took Bucky by surprise (you seemed to be full of those). Considering all your successful assassinations and everything you had stolen, he had thought you’d live in a mansion. Not…that…

     You removed your helmet and grabbed your bag before heading inside your ‘house’. Bucky decided to wait two minutes before storming inside. He didn’t know what was inside the house but he figured there wasn’t much considering its deteriorated exterior. The assassin waited, then took action.

     You stopped your humble singing and slowly rose to your feet when you heard the Ghost burst into your home. You scowled at the fact that he kicked in your door. You had just fixed the damn thing. Within seconds, your assassin roughly pinned you to the wall. Next thing you knew, his hands were around your throat.

     Bucky was panting from the adrenalin flowing through his entire body. The super soldier had you pinned against the wall but you wore an impassive and unfazed expression. Your nonchalant state angered your assassin. He tightened his grip around your throat then pressed his body against yours, crushing you into the rotting wood of the wall. The shredded wood dug into your exposed back and you felt blood seep from the puncture wounds but still, you wore a deadpan expression. Bucky stilled when he recognized the look in your eyes. They were empty, vacant, as if you didn’t have a soul. As if you were an empty husk, without a heart and without a fuck to give. He knew exactly what that felt like…

     You suddenly looked at the ground and lifted your brows.

     “I advise you move your left leg Soldier,” you remarked in a monotone voice.

     Bucky had only seconds to register your words before he felt a sharp bite in his left leg. He looked down and much to his horror, a colossal snake had sank its massive fangs into his flesh. It had penetrated through his thick suit as if it were tissue paper. Bucky cried out when he felt its venom pulsate through his body. He immediately felt his body weaken and his grip around your throat loosened.

     Bucky heard you groan in annoyance. You easily removed yourself from his hold then reached down to yank the snake from his leg. Before it could bite you, you snapped its spine then threw it to the ground and crushed its large head. You killed a giant, venomous snake without batting an eye. You were about to kick its dead body to the corner of the room but you were suddenly whirled around and pinned down to the hard, cold dirt flooring of your home. You felt a familiar pair of hands wrap around your throat. You muttered an _‘ow’_ then opened your eyes. Much to your annoyance, you came face to face with the Ghost. He was seething with anger but you knew he was trying to hide the disorientation of his senses.

    “What was in the crate?!” Bucky demanded through clenched teeth as he tightened his grip around your throat.

     He pushed your body harder against the ground. He knew he was crushing your windpipes but you showed no sign of any pain or emotions. His demanding tone irritated you. You scowled at the Soldier. Bucky could feel his body shutting down. Thanks to the accursed snake, he was now extremely vulnerable but he hid his weakness to the best of his ability. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t enough. The assassin closed his eyes for a split second in hopes of refocusing his blurred vision.

     “You wish to know what was in the crate?”

     Before Bucky could even register your words, he felt you stab his arm with a massive syringe. It went straight through his armor and he cried out when he felt you inject a serum inside him. The liquid burned and made his body throb.

     You took advantage of his weakened state and flipped his body over so that you were on top of him. You straddled his hips and held down his thrashing body as you continued to inject the thick liquid into his bloodstream. He thrashed and cried out in pain but you used the lower half of your body to pin him to the ground and keep him in place.

     The Ghost Story was panting and his eyes were glazed by the time you had finished injecting him with the liquid. You sighed as you looked down at his form then you smiled to yourself. Your handsome assassin was flustered and panting beneath you. The suggestive expression he wore on his face made you smirk in satisfaction; it was you who had reduced him to a panting mess. You were very attracted to him. Had life been different, you would have fancied courting him. Your smile grew and you laughed to yourself. It was silly to think you could have ever lived a normal life. You reminded yourself that the handsome man beneath you had been sent to kill you, not court you.

     When the Soldier began to regain his senses, you (reluctantly) removed yourself from him. You then grabbed him by the material of his battle gear, and dragged him to the wall. There you leaned him against the wall and left for another part of the house.

     After a few minutes, Bucky finally felt his senses stabilize. He felt the cold rotting wood against his back and the sweat dripping down his forehead. Bucky’s chest was heaving as he took in the air that had been knocked out of him.

     “You are far from a good assassin,” you mocked as you reentered the room.

     You did nothing to hide the amused smirk that stretched across your face as you approached him. In one hand you held a bottle of water and in the other you held a bottle of pills. The pills rattled as you shook the plastic bottle. Once you had gotten his attention, you tossed both into the Soldier’s lap. He looked down at the medication in his lap then at the empty syringe laying on the ground. A majority of the writing on the syringe was in a language he didn’t understand but _‘Anti-Venom’_ stood out in large print. Bucky looked down at the bottle of pills in his lap. The label said the same thing…

     ...You had saved his life....

     Your assassin looked up at you and you could see the mixture of shock and confusion that stained his handsome face. It annoyed you. It was rude to look a gift horse in the mouth.

     “What? Tell me not that you need me to feed you the medication,” you rudely mocked with a thick accent.

     “Do not waste it Soldier. Snakes often enter my home and that anti-venom injection was mine,” you sneered at your assassin as you crossed your arms over your chest.

     For the first time since Bucky had stormed into your shelter, he realized that you were wearing nothing but your black sports bra and boyshorts. A shameful blush crept itself onto Bucky’s cheeks. Granted you were his mission but he felt guilty for tackling a beautiful, half naked young woman to the ground and straddling her hips. The super soldier’s wandering gaze irritated you at first but you slowly began to enjoy being the center of his attention. Bucky ripped his eyes from your barely clothed form and took the anti-venom pills. You stood in front of the Soldier to make sure he swallowed the precious pill. You watched his Adam’s apple bob as he drank the water. You needed to make sure he drank every drop of water. You scowled when he pulled the bottle away and a few droplets of water dripped down his chin.

     “Lick it.”

     Bucky spat out some water then jerked his head in your direction and stared at you in flustered confusion. You rolled your eyes in annoyance at his inappropriate misinterpretation of your words. You pointed to your chin and he mirrored your actions. The Ghost Story looked at you in confusion. His ignorance made you snap.

     “You fail to understand do you not Soldier?” you growled in annoyance as you menacingly stalked towards him.

     “Medication is a rare luxury and countless die because of it’s unavailability. There is no food fit for eating nor is there any water fit for drinking. Everything that comes from the earth is pure poison,” you harshly explained.

     You tried to hold back your rising emotions but the thought of how severely your people had suffered made your blood boil and your heart bleed. You stalked towards your assassin with clenched fists but Bucky knew you weren’t going to hit him. Your rage came from an old wound that had rotted your heart.

     “In their greed filled eyes we are naught but rodents. With pure ill purpose they poisoned our lakes, our soil, our sky, and our rivers. No longer can we live off of the land. Its fruit is poisoned, its animals are savage, its water is contaminated, its air slowly kills us, and disease takes all life both man and beast!”

     “They desired us dead! I have witnessed my people die like rats in the sewer! When we thought nothing could worsen, their soldiers came. To the ground they burned our once great cities and slaughtered us without second thought!” you seethed through clenched teeth. Your knuckles had gone white from your balled fists. But the fires of your rage were dowsed by a sea of your unshed tears.

    “I tried to save my people. I used my forbidden powers against the wishes of my _mema_ to protect them,” you dejectedly admitted. Your shoulders dropped and your stony expression went slack with grief. This was a side Bucky never thought you could have. His hardened image of you being a heartless monster was beginning to change…

     “Never, not even in my darkest night fears, could I have never have foretold what was to come. There were countless of them that day…the screams, the stench of blood. My _mema_ , told me to run, to not look back. She made me swear to never sing,” your voice quieted and your body went slack as you relived the horrors of that night.

     “But how could I remain silent after watching them kill her in cold blood? After watching them slaughter everyone?” you spitefully growled through your pain. But your rage faded as despair claimed your heart. You felt tears form in your eyes and your voice shake.

     “From that night and forth I have never stopped singing. I have protected my people for many moons…but my songs are not enough…the slaughter continues…and I cannot-

     “You did what you could.”

     You jerked your head up to look at the Soldier. Your assassin’s whispered words of comfort struck a cord deep within you. In an alternative universe, you would have thrown yourself in the man’s arms and plea for his touch and comfort. Part of you yearned to live in that universe but you refused to allow your heart to conjure such silly fantasies.

    You looked up at the Ghost and tried to hide your tear glossed eyes. Embarrassment washed over you as you realized how vulnerable you had made yourself. Then again you suppose the two of you were even, given the fact that you knew everything about him. You didn’t know exactly how long ago it was, but you had been given a mission that required hacking into a top secret database and stealing every piece of information on the infamous Winter Soldier. Or as his friends called him, 'Bucky'.

     You had also had the pleasure of meeting him in person about forty years back. Apparently you and he had been assigned to the same target (by different parties of course).  Much to your spite, he took out the target before you could. Not only were you robbed of a generous bounty but you also had to go into hiding and lay low for a few years since the penalty of missing your target was death. You learned two valuable lessons that day; read the damn contract before you sign it and never visit a buffet line when on a timed mission.

     “You’ve done everything you can for your people,” the Soldier softly comforted.

     His tender voice pulled you from your thoughts and brought you back to your reality. The aura around you changed from regretful to determined. Bucky immediately noticed the change.

     “Not everything.”

     You left the room and came back with a blanket. You threw it into Bucky’s face and bit back a laugh when he struggled to pull it off his head.

     “Sleep,” you ordered.

     “In exactly one hour and fifteen minutes I shall wake you,” you hastily explained.

     You grabbed his arm and led him towards your ‘bed’. It was nothing more than a pile of massive tropical leaves underneath several thread beaten, torn sheets. You pushed him down onto it then threw an extra blanket into his face. If he was going to sleep in your bed you might as well have a laugh or two.

     “I thought that if you ever saw me again you’d kill me,” Bucky teased as he looked up at you.

     You laughed at his smartass jest.

     “Why would I kill a pawn I can use?” you rebutted with a smirk which he mimicked.

     You grabbed an old analog clock and thread beaten sheet from your small chest of belongings then headed for the other end of the room.

     “Worry not about the snakes. There are creatures of the night with a far worse bite,” you flirted as you smirked and exposed your teeth to prove your point.

     Bucky laughed at your threatening flirt but gave you a charming wink before you turned your back. You enjoyed his playful spirit. It was nice to have a small moment of gleefulness before what was about to come…

 

     Much to Bucky’s surprise, he had fallen asleep immediately. Considering he was in the same room with one of the most powerful beings in the world (who he had also been instructed to kill), he would have thought sleeping might be a bit more difficult. The assassin was roused from his sleep when he heard singing. It was soft and barely audible, but it was there. A few moments later the singing stopped, then another few minutes later it returned. Perplexed by the strange phenomenon, Bucky rose from his sleeping position to look around the room. He looked in your direction then stood up and quietly approached you.

     You were singing in your sleep and a green mist formed then disappeared around you. Bucky saw your fingers moving in a strange fashion and every now and then your body would jerk. Bucky could see the thin layer of sweat that covered your exposed skin, then he understood.

     You were having a nightmare. Based on what you had told him earlier, you were probably reliving the traumatic memories of your past. That, or your mind was conjuring new horrors. You were trying to bewitch the enemies in your dream. That’s why Bucky couldn’t hear your entire song. He had never removed his earpieces since he never knew what you were going to do next. Half your song was to bewitch and the other part of to mourn. The lamination of your song was the only part Bucky was able to hear. It made sense, your sorrow harmed no one but yourself. Your assassin pitied you as he watched you jerk and writhe at the horrors your mind tortured you with.

     Before his common sense could stop him, Bucky knelt down, scooped you into his arms, then carried you to your ‘bed’. Your body was ice cold (since you had been sleeping on the freezing, hard dirt ground) so when Bucky laid down, he rested you on top of him in hopes that his body heat would warm you. He wondered how you could sleep under such horrible conditions but then he concluded that you were probably used to such things. As Bucky rested you on top of him, he felt it was somewhat immoral to have a beautiful, half naked young woman on top of him. The prudish assassin dismissed the thought and reasoned that it was to keep you dying of hyperthermia.

     Your assassin examined you as you slept. He smiled when your body had stilled and relaxed. Bucky pushed a strand of hair from your gorgeous face then gently tucked it behind your ear. His heart softened when you stirred then smiled at his touch. Bucky rubbed his metal finger against your warming cheek and his smile grew when you melted into his touch. Your assassin wrapped his arms around your sleeping form then settled himself into a comfortable position. He savored the feeling of your soft body against his. Had circumstances been different, he wished he could have fallen in love with you. Bucky smiled to himself;

_‘In the next life my love.’_

     Bucky was about to fall asleep but a familiar vibration in his pocket roused him. He pulled the device from his pocket then deciphered the message.

_‘Five hours left. Kill Siren. Return stateside. If mission uncompleted. Backup sent.’_

     He read the message over and over again in hopes that he somehow misread something, but he knew he hadn’t. The message was a slap of reality to the super soldier.

     It was a reminder of what you were; his mission.

     It was a reminder of why he was here; to kill you.

     Bucky looked down at your serene and sleeping form. He could feel the knife in the pocket of his pants and the softness of your body against his. He could see the exact artery on your neck he needed to slit to kill you and the rare, beautiful smile that graced your divine face.

     For the first time, in a long time, Bucky was at war with himself. What he had been told about you and what he had seen were two totally different things. You had saved his life countless times since you had met him, the man who had been sent to kill you. Bucky tightly shut his eyes then calmed his racing thoughts. He put the device away and retracted his hand from your cheek. Your brows knitted together as you mourned the loss of his touch but Bucky ignored your reaction. He looked at your beautiful face one last time before turning his head and forcing himself to sleep.

     It would be dishonorable to kill you in your sleep. After everything you had done for him, the least he could do was kill you while gazing into your beautiful eyes.

 

     You had grown so accustom to having nightmares that you woke up when you didn’t have them. You had grown so accustom to the cold and hard ground that you opened your eyes when you felt yourself laying on something warm and…moving?

     You lifted yourself from the surface you were laying on and held back a gasp of shock when you realized that you had been laying on the broad chest of your assassin. You didn’t know how you had gotten there. The last thing you remember was falling asleep on the cold dirt ground. You pinched yourself to make sure you weren’t having a pleasant dream about having your assassin beneath you. Much to your delight it wasn’t a dream.

     He was still sleeping as you looked down at him. The mighty Winter Soldier looked so vulnerable but so…human.

     People like the two of you were labeled and considered mindless, heartless demons. The world considered you hellish monsters instead of a former war hero who was kidnapped and brainwashed, and a young girl who had seen more blood on the ground than flowers. But you had hollowed your heart and gutted out all your emotions. You didn’t care what the world thought of you. All you cared about was your people.

     As you looked down at the sleeping Ghost beneath you, you wished you had met him under different circumstance. You wished you had met him in a field of flowers or a café in the place called ‘New York’. You wished you could have introduced him to your _mema_ and you wished you could have lived a normal, happy life with him. But it wasn’t meant to be. You stopped your heart from creating fantasies of what could have been because you knew you would only hurt yourself.

     More importantly, you reminded yourself that he was here to kill you. Part of you wondered if you should kill him in his sleep. He wouldn’t feel any pain. His throat was exposed and you had always been skilled with a knife. But you decided against it. You told yourself you needed him for your mission but you knew it was a lie.

     You hated yourself for hesitating. You rose yourself to a sitting position and straddled his hips. The Soldier’s warm hands slid down your body and eventually rested on your hips. You bit your lip to quiet yourself. After so many years of feeling cold metal slit your skin, the warmth of another human being’s touch drove you mad.

     Your eyes lingered on his face as you memorized every detail of him. He was so handsome, you could stare at him for hours. You smiled sweetly at his sleeping form then hovered over him. Your hair formed a curtain around his face as you leaned down. Considering what was to come and knowing you would never get a second chance, you gave into your desires and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Your cold and chapped lips lingered on his soft ones before you gave him another kiss, this time with a bit more passion. You wanted a third but stopped yourself. You pulled back and pushed a strand of his hair away from his face then lowered yourself and whispered your promise into his ear;

_‘In the next life my love.’_

     You placed a lingering kiss on his cheeks before gazing down at him one last time. You reluctantly removed yourself from his warmth to make the preparations and gear up.

 

     Bucky stirred when he felt a hand shake him awake. He turned to see you kneeling beside him. You were suited up and wearing your green shawl. Bucky pushed himself up and looked at you, waiting for you to say something.

     “The time has come Soldier,” you solemnly spoke.

     Your vague words confused the super soldier but he rose to his feet to understand what you had in mind.

     “Suit up, we leave within three minutes,” you ordered.

     “Where are we going?” Bucky asked as he suited up. He noted that the house was completely empty. What little belongings you had were gone. It was as if you had no plans on returning…

     “Not where, what. Not going, doing,” you answered.

     Your jumbled answer only confused Bucky even more. You suddenly felt self-conscious. Maybe your English wasn’t as good as you originally thought. You pushed your insecurities aside. Time was limited and you needed to work fast if this was going to work.

     “For as long as I can recall, the government has been slaughtering my people to ‘cleanse to the land’ as they put it,” you bitterly explained.

     “I have hidden what small population is left of my people in the dense jungle but my efforts have proven fruitless. They have found my people and are coming to exterminate them.”

     “What are you going to do?” Bucky asked as he placed his last gun in his holster.

     “I am going to smuggle them out of the country.”

     Bucky’s eyes widened at your intentions. He had committed mass murders when he was the Winter Soldier but never had he helped save so many lives.

     “Siren wait!” Bucky called out as he grabbed your arm.

     He regretted opening his mouth when he saw your shocked expression. His grip on your arm loosened as his shame grew. An emotion he couldn’t describe swirled in your eyes. It was a mixture of humiliation and sorrow but the emotions left as soon as they came. You suddenly threw your head back and laughed.

     “Is that what your people call me?” you asked with a hearty (yet cold and sarcastic) laugh.

     Before Bucky could reply, you put your hand in front of you and breathed into it to smell your breath.

     “My breath does not reek of fish,” you looked down at your body, “nor is my body covered in scales. You of all people should know,” you finished with a flirtatious smirk and wink.

     His cheeks dusted with a blush. You had caught him staring at you so many times you stopped counting a long time ago. You grinned at his prudish behavior, you were happy to have another laugh.

     “But it matters not to me. Many people address me as many foul names. If anything ‘Siren’ is somewhat flattering,” you thought out loud with an amused grin. Then you returned to the subject at hand.

     “Fret not Soldier. I’ve done this once before,” you reaffirmed him when you saw the bewilderment in his eyes. You were about to walk out the door when Bucky roughly grabbed your arm and pulled you to him.

     “What is the smugglers betray you?” the Soldier asked, a slither of panic laced his voice. You smiled at his concern but was somewhat offended that he thought you were so simple minded and ill prepared.

     “Their minds are no longer their own” you cooed in a sweet but twisted voice.

     Bucky lessened his grip on your arm. He couldn’t help but smile. You were as crafty and clever but also as dangerous as Fury had said. When you turned your back, Bucky remembered his mission. He absentmindedly stroked the knife hidden in his belt. It would be quick and painle-

     “You will help me Soldier.”

     “You will help me protect my people as I lead them to the docks east of here. It is not far. The mission should be completed in four hours at the most,” you explained as you busied yourself in gathering what you needed.

     It was perfect. Bucky had a whole extra hour to kill you.

     Bucky decided to wait. He would help you smuggle your people out of the country, then kill you. It would be ungrateful to kill you before helping you he reasoned. You had saved him countless times, it was only proper for him to help you save your people. His thoughts came to a halt when a black piece of material was thrown in his face. Bucky smiled when he heard you giggle.

     “Wear it,” you told him as you wrapped a similar black material around your head as a makeshift hood.

     “Everyone will wear one to keep their faces hidden. Should the mission fail and my people are scattered, their identity shall be hidden…or so I hope…” you confessed.

      So much was at stake…the success of the mission was the difference between life and death for your people. But it needed to be done. They were coming for all of you. You were pulled from your thoughts when you felt the material of your hood shift. Your eyes met with the Soldier’s as he grabbed the material and moved it around you. You watched him as he focused on his attempts to…do whatever he was trying to do. You laughed softly at his clumsiness and the cute faces he’d unintentionally make when he messed up. When he was satisfied, he looked down at you with a proud grin.

      Your heart skipped a beat when his expression softened and his eyes roamed over your face. Your assassin slowly reached up and stroked your cheek with his human hand. His fingers were callous from years and years of handling guns but his touch was so gentle it made tears of longing form in your eyes. As he stroked your cheeks you reached out and laced your fingers with his metal ones. The Soldier gazed at you with desire shining in his eyes and you froze when his eyes lingered on your lips. He moved his hand to cup your cheek as he held your hand tighter in his. Time stopped when his eyes locked with your lips and he slowly leaned down towards you. You wanted this, you wanted his lips on yours so badly but…

      Bucky closed his eyes when his lips were centimeters away from yours. He savored the softness of your hand and cheek. Your skin against his sent him into a realm of desire. Everything was perfect until-

     You placed your finger on his lips and your hand on his chest to stop him.

     “We must make haste, our time is limited.”

      Bucky immediately pulled away, completely respecting your ‘no’. You were right. You needed to finish your mission. He watched you walk out of the house and he was reminded that he had to finish his mission as well.

     You hated yourself for letting your desires get the best of you. Time was limited. You needed to go. That, and part of you knew you wouldn’t be in this world for much longer…

     You had just started the engine of your motorbike when the Soldier came out. You jerked your head forward, nonverbally telling him to mount the bike. As soon as he sat down, you hit the gas. You laughed when he yelped and almost fell off the motorbike but gasped when he latched onto you. Your assassin wrapped his arms tightly around your waist as you sped off into the night. He laid against your back and savored the feeling of your body against his.

 

     An hour later, you reached the hidden town. Bucky stayed behind as you dismounted and headed for a thick wall of vegetation. It was so dense that no one would even think humans could live within, but they could and they did.

     Bucky’s eyes widened when he heard the same singing from before. The voice that had soothed his pain and relaxed his muscles was near him. It was sweet and gentle and in a language Bucky didn’t understand. There was no one in the area besides you and him; so did the angelic voice belong to you? You used your bewitching voice to manipulate and kill people but neither your hair nor shawl were moving. Were you capable of singing such a sweet song for the greater good…?

     He looked forward when he heard rustling and footsteps approaching. From the thick wall of vegetation came your people. There were so few of them, thirty-five at most. Was this all that was left of them?

     You smiled and laughed as they kissed your cheeks and embraced you. Several small children ran to you and clung onto your waist, legs, and whatever else they were tall enough to reach. A shining smile graced your face as you knelt down to hug and speak to them.

     They gathered around you and you spoke in your language to tell them the exact details of the plan. The crowd suddenly stiffened when they saw Bucky. Some glared at him with poisonous contempt, some whispered words of pure animosity, while others gazed at him in horror. Mothers pulled their children close, ready to protect their children from the man with the metal arm. Bucky felt a pang of guilt. Granted he had never harmed your people, but their fear and paranoia towards a stranger spoke volumes about the constant state of fear they lived in.

     You turned to see the source of your people’s uneasiness and smiled when you realized the source of their misgivings was your awkward assassin who stood stiffly by your motorbike. You snorted at his oddness and how uncomfortable he was being the center of everyone’s attention.

     Bucky’s cheeks burned red when you turned from him, said something in your language then the crowd bursted out laughing. You turned back to him with a mischievous grin then said something else to them and their laughter only increased. The children clinging to your clothes giggled and swayed around you as everyone continued to laugh at the embarrassed Soldier.

     Although he was the punchline, Bucky was grateful for the joke since it eased the tension between him and the people he was going to help save. After the laughing had died down, you turned to Bucky and the grin faded from your face. You covered your face and everyone mimicked your action. It was time.

     The journey to the docks was perilous. Your arms were sore from hacking away at all the thick vegetation. You kept your senses on high alert. Aside from you and Bucky, there were a few women armed with advanced firearms (curtsy of your stealing) protecting the group.

     Your heart threw itself against your chest and you had trouble breathing when you stepped out onto the docks. The full moon shone brightly in the night sky and much to your horror, you and your people would be completely exposed once they stepped out of the jungle. There was a small and beaten up shipment boat at the end of the dock. Before Bucky could stop you, you ran to the end of the dock and ‘spoke’ to the smuggler. Once the rigid and soulless man had entered and started the boat, you scanned the area one last time, then waved at the group. Your people quickly scampered to the boat and hastily boarded it. You were shaking and panting for air as you helped them board the boat. Your eyes frantically and continuously scanned the area as paranoia gnarled at your insides.

 

     All was going well until you heard a flock of birds screech. Your heart sank when you heard the echoes of gunfire. Within seconds, an army of hostiles bursted through the jungle and invaded the shoreline. Your people screamed as the enemy forces opened fire but you refused to accept defeat when you were so close to freeing your people. You bellowed something in your language to the squad of armed women. They hesitated, tears formed in their eyes but they did as you had ordered; stay behind and protect the group at all costs. Bucky was helping your people board the boat and before he could stop you, you sprinted towards straight into the line of fire.

     You were seething with rage as you bolt towards your opponents. You didn’t recognize their uniforms nor the symbol on it but you didn’t give a damn. They were trying to kill your people and that was the only reason you needed to slaughter them.

     Once you were satisfied with your range, you locked your knees then threw your hands up into the air and from your throat came an ear-piercing wail. The hostiles dropped their guns to cover their bleeding ears. You immediately took advantage of their weakness and began to puppeteer them. Their limbs and bodies shone a bright green mist as you controlled their every action. You had them open fire on each other and watched in satisfaction as they dropped dead.

     Everything was going well until a new wave of the enemy’s forces invaded the shore. You thought nothing of it until you realized they were unfazed by your song. You tried to ensnare their wills but your bewitchment was blocked by something.

     Before you could register your confusion and shock, a bullet grazed the side of your neck. You had dodged it just in time to keep it from damaging your windpipes but as blood gushed from the wound, you knew the bullet had slit open an artery. Panic surged through your body as blood flowed endlessly from the wound. Your vision began to blur and you felt your body numb. You cried out and harshly fell to the cold metal of the dock when another bullet grazed the opposite side of your neck. Then you realized that they were aiming specifically for your throat to stop you from singing. It made sense. What is a siren without her s-

    The night lit a bright red when a grenade was thrown at the hostiles. You shakily rose to your knees in attempts to stand and defend yourself. Before any more bullets could hit you, a warm and familiar hand helped you to your feet. You smiled brightly as you looked into your assassin’s soothing azure eyes. Then the two of you turned to your enemies and unleashed hell.

     You bewitch the hostiles he couldn’t shoot and he’d shot the soldiers you couldn’t bewitch. You fought alongside your assassin and both of you knew as a team, the two of you would win.

     You and the Ghost Story had killed a majority of their forces when a sudden and blinding light flew in front of you. Your eyes widened in horror. In front of you was a massive and armed to the teeth, war helicopter. Bucky grabbed your arm and sprinted for the edge of the dock but before the two of you could get far, the helicopter dropped an explosive on the dock. The old metal dock twisted and groaned as the explosion threw you and Bucky forward. You scrambled to your feet and took the Soldier with you as you bolted for the already departed boat.

     The dock beneath you twisted and crumbled as the two of you ran. The boat was a jump away from the dock and Bucky knew the two of you were going to make it. Another explosion weakened the dock and made it sway uncontrollably. When Bucky had finally reached the edge of the dock, he whirled around and reached for your hand.

     “Siren!” he called out to you. But your trembling legs and blurring vision slowed you. There was no time. You knew what had to be done, so you did it.

     In the heat of the moment and out of pure selflessness, you roughly pushed Bucky off of the dock.

     You watched as the wind took off his black hood and his eyes shown with horror and shock.

     Bucky watched as the wind took your hood and your eyes shown with regret and sorrow.

     When you saw he had fallen into the safety of the departing boat, you bolted in the opposite direction to lead the gunfire away from your people. You knew without a shadow of a doubt that the forces attacking you were after you and you knew you didn’t stand a chance against them. It was alright, you had already accepted your fate. All you cared about was that your people and your beloved assassin were safe.

     Bucky watched in horror as you ran in the opposite direction with the divisions of soldiers and armed helicopter in tail. The world stopped for Bucky when he saw the symbol on the helicopter…

     …it was SHIELD’s…

     Your assassin froze when it finally dawned on him. He had went over his time limit so Fury had sent backup. Bucky’s train of thought was broken when he felt someone whack his head with a wooden cane. Your assassin turned and saw a teary eyed elderly woman and child glaring at him. The old woman began yelling at Bucky in your language and when the child saw Bucky didn’t understand, she began to translate.

     “You were sent from hell you foul monster!” the young girl spat as she translated the old woman’s curses.

     “You dare harm our beloved daughter (Y/N)! She has protected us since my _grandmema_ was a child!” the young girl translated.

     “She kills and steals so we can survive! She kills to protect us and steals so we have precious medication, pure water, poison free food. She even steals education material so our children can read!”

     “(Y/N) does not keep a cent for herself! She lives in a horrid shack so she can guard us and so no one could ever track us!”

     The old woman fell to her knees and buried her face into her withered hands and openly sobbed. The young girl knelt down with her great-grandmother to comfort her. Her youthful eyes glistened with tears as she glared up at Bucky.

     “Sweet (Y/N) is a gentle soul! She has a pure and kind heart! She never wanted to harm anyone! Her songs are lovely and sweet and you insult her by calling her a bewitching siren! Dearest (Y/N) never wanted any of this! You brand her as a criminal but she is just a child who is trying to survive in this war-torn hellhole!” the young girl finished translating then she joined her great grandmother in weeping. 

     “There is but one reason we have not killed you; because big sister (Y/N) made us swear to keep you safe,” one of the armed girls harshly explained as tears streamed down her face.

     “Such a repulsive and cruel reality, that sweet sister (Y/N) had fallen for swine scum like you,” another snarled in a broken voice.

     “(Y/N)…” Bucky whispered your real name as he looked back to the receding shoreline. He saw the copter fly in your direction and the sound of gunfire, then he lost it.

     Without hesitation, Bucky dove into the cold sea water then swam to the shore. He yanked out the earpieces Fury had given him and let it sink to the bottom of the ocean. Once on land, your assassin sprinted in your direction with reckless abandon.

 

     Tears freely streamed down your face as you looked down at the three hundred foot plummet into the ocean below you. Giant and dangerously sharp rocks protruded from the violent sea below you and you knew that this was the end of the line. You had managed to outrun the enemy forces and keep out of the sight of the helicopter but it was only a matter of time till they found you. You tightly shut your eyes and allowed fear to surge through you before letting it go. You were alright with this, you didn’t mind meeting this fate. All you cared about was the safety of your people and your beloved assas-

     “(Y/N)!!”

     You whirled around and choked out a sob when you saw your love sprinting towards you. Your name coming from his lips was the sweetest sound there was and you wanted nothing more than to hear it again and again.

     “Bucky!!” you wailed his real name as he raced down the dock towards you.

     Tears of happiness poured down your cheeks at the sight of him and at the thought of being in his arms. Unfortunately, people like you could never live in happiness for long.

     Before you could even blink, the helicopter and its blinding lights flew in front of Bucky. You tried to enchant the pilot but the copilot fired his gun and the bullet embedded itself into the side of your neck. You faintly heard your Bucky holler at the copter pilot and the armed forces to stop, to hold their fire, but why would they? The infamous Siren had finally been silenced and it was time to finish the job.

    You were jerked forward when the helicopter dropped an explosive on the metal dock. Its old beams groaned and trembled and you knew it was going to snap at any given second. You were at peace until you heard Bucky calling your name, your real name. He was foolishly sprinting towards you even though the entire dock trembled and swayed. You cursed his stupidity. You were about to call out his name but silenced yourself when you heard a dreadful ‘ ** _SNAP’_**   pierce through the air. Your time had come.

    The old and rusted beams of the dock snapped in half and you felt yourself falling back. You heard your Bucky cry out your name as he bolted towards you and the broken half of the dock falling into the ocean. You cursed his stupidity, begged for his forgiveness, and sent him all your love.

     Your throat burned like fire but you threw out your hands and sang your final song as the Siren. Bucky watched in horror as you fell back then stretched your hands in front of you. The moment he heard your song was the moment you controlled his every action. Your (e/c) eyes swirled with an enchanting green mist and your hair and shawl swirled around you. Much to his betrayal and hurt, you had bewitched him. You controlled his body and sent him flying back onto the safe side of the dock. Tears formed in Bucky’s eyes as you kept him there and he helplessly watched you plummeted to your death.

 

_'In the next life my love.’_

 

     Your final song softly echoed through his head and Bucky cried out as he tried to move and break your spell. But the Siren’s song is absolute and there is no breaking your enchantment.

     Bucky heard the other half of the dock hit and sink into the water and much to his horror, he was able to move. The green mist that had restrained his movement swirled around him then faded completely. The super soldier let out a shaky breath of horror then ran to the edge of the metal dock. He watched as hundreds of thousands of pounds of metal fell into the savage waves of the sea. Bucky’s heart sank when he realized;

_He couldn’t hear your song…_

     Bucky fell to his knees when the reality hit him. His heart stopped and his body became an empty husk. A group of SHEILD’s forces walked over to him and looked down at the three hundred foot plummet into the ocean below, then laughed amongst themselves.

     “Do you think the Siren can swim?”

     Your Bucky didn’t even have the strength to lash out at their cruel joke. All he could do was stare down at the violent ocean below him and replay your final song in his head…

_‘In the next life my love.’_

 

_Epilogue_

 

      Bucky never returned stateside. What was the point? He had nothing to return to nor would anything ever be the same for him. He would never forgive himself for helping kill an innocent person…and innocent person he had fallen in love with…

     After your tragic death, Bucky wandered through countless, unknown countries. He didn’t give a damn where he went, he just let life take him wherever it pleased.

     The broken man found himself in the middle of a lively market place. All around him people were gleefully bustling about. They were buying goods, laughing and smiling while they joked and genuinely enjoyed life. Every color imaginable was present in the market place. Bright clothes, jewelry, tapestries, ornate rugs, and elaborate cloths for sewing. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of mouthwatering pastries and freshly cooked meals. The children played with their jump ropes and their chalk as they laughed and sang their happy little songs about innocent things. Everyone he laid eyes on was smiling and laughing and genuinely enjoying their lives to the fullest. Everything around Bucky made him think of you and for the first time in what felt like years, your Bucky smiled.

     The wandering man halted when a group of children playing rushed past him. A small smile tugged at his lips as he watched the gleeful and carefree children play but his smile faded when he recognized the face of one of the little girls. It was the child who had translated the old woman’s words! Bucky frantically scanned his surroundings and immediately recognized more people… _your people_ …

     Bucky’s heart stopped when he heard a sweet, and oh so painfully familiar, voice singing. He followed the crowd moving in the direction of the harmonious singing. The broken man told himself not to create false hope but as the dulcet singing grew louder, he couldn’t stop himself.

     The crowd flocked to the voice as if it were sweet water in a scorching desert. As if it were a single flower blooming in a desolate warzone. As if it were the pure heart of a loving girl who would have given anything to keep her people safe…

_‘For a Siren,’_

     Bucky’s world stopped when he saw the source of everyone’s awe. At the front of the crowd, was a beautiful young woman clothed in canary yellow and crimson silk. She sat on the rim of an ornate and flower trimmed fountain. Its delicate beauty paled in comparison to her euphonious voice. She had three massive scars on the sides of her neck but it did nothing in effecting her melodious singing.

_‘Without Her song,’_

     Tears fell from his azure eyes as he drank in the sight of you. You were happy, at peace, living in the paradise you had fought so hard for, and most of all, you were singing.

     Your eyes slowly opened when you felt his eyes on you. Tears rolled down your soft cheeks as you drank in the sight of him. The two of you exchange the vows and promises that had been cut short all those years ago. As you gazed into each other’s eyes, the two of you finally knew that you could finally live happy lives, side by side. You smiled at such a sweet thought and his eyes shone with his undying love for you. Finally, after so many years of wailing, you could sing for what you loved, for who you loved.

_‘Is nothing.’_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh I've been working on this for so long I'm so happy to finally post it!! ﾟ+｡:.ﾟヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟ  
> Regarding the Chpt:  
> -I based Reader's speech pattern after mine when I was first learning English  
> -I warned you that angst was on the way but I decided to have a fluffy-ish ending!!(❁´ω`❁)  
> -This is definitely one of my favs ESPECIALLY the epilogue  
> -Sirens are by far one of my fav mythical creatures (I have a friend who calls me 'Siren') and recurring theme is 'the true song of the Siren is for the one she loves' so Bucky is your song ;3;
> 
> Thank you so much for your support and kind words! More is on the way! **CORRECTION** More angst is on the way //evil laughter >:3c


	10. St. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you recalled all of the happy memories, you couldn’t help but remember the not so pleasant memory of when you and Bucky had first met.

 

**_ Shadows and Roses _ **

 

     You anxiously bit your lip when the clock on the old stove showed it was 10:00pm. He was late, _very_ late. It was way past your shared curfew. Not that the two of you were children, the curfew was created to keep the two of you safe. It wasn’t the burglars or muggers of the crime riddled neighborhood you lived in that scared you, it was the government officials and mercenaries that scared you.

     An infamous ex-assassin and escaped lab experiment made a lovely married couple but the two of you were a recipe for disaster. Most of your dates (when you felt safe enough to go on them) were far from enjoyable. Every five steps Bucky would look over his shoulder and you kept your senses on high alert, ready to summon your shadows at any given second. The sunlight minimized the shadows of the world but you had to work with what you had. Although the two of you were anxiously paranoid in public, Bucky’s arm around your waist never failed to comfort you.

     Oh how you wished his arm were around you right now.

     Minutes felt like hours. Horrible thoughts invaded your mind and created terrifying scenarios of your greatest fears. You considered sending one of your shadows to find him but you knew the freaks that had experimented on you could track you down if your creation was captured. You cursed your helplessness.

      The anxiety and fear made you nauseous. Wanting to calm yourself, you got up from the barely held together, thread beaten couch and began to pace through your cramped and ramshackle apartment. You focused on the sounds of the leaking facet and blaring sound of the old heater to distract yourself. You had bitten your nails to stubs but you distracted yourself from your bleeding fingers by focusing on the yellowed and peeling wallpaper.

     Money was something you and your husband never really had since the two of you had to keep a low profile. Bucky worked in construction, always scouting for a project to work on to put food on the table. You had gotten a job at the run down hospital. Thanks to your time spent on a lab table, you had extensive knowledge regarding medicine. You were fascinated with all the medication in the town’s hospital. Back when you lived in a cage, the only way to clean your wounds was by licking them and hoping that your saliva held some sort of healing properties.

     Neither of you got paid much but every penny counted. As long as there was food on the table and a home to hide in, the two of you were happy.

     You paced back and forth in hopes of calming yourself and although it helped, your nerves continued to get the best of you. You wandered into the cramped bedroom you shared with your husband and stopped to admire the pictures of the walls. Bucky had bought you an old Polaroid camera for your birthday and you took pictures of everything you did together. You smiled at all the precious and silly moments you had captured.

     You giggled at the picture of Bucky’s adorable sleepy, pouty face. The said pouty puppy had his face pressed against the table in protest of being awake and wore nothing but a pair of boxers with the American flag on it. You had bought it for him as a joke but he surprisingly liked it.

     You laughed at the picture of when you and Bucky had traded clothes. In the photo, you wore one of Bucky’s massive shirts while Bucky wore yours. You had taken the photo as you posed by Bucky struggling to wrestle out of your constricting shirt (which he wasn’t able to get over his head). He refused to admit he was stuck and you let him believe that until he apologized and asked you to cut your shirt off of him.

     A hum of delight left your lips as you looked at the pictures from your ‘honeymoon’. It was far from luxurious and even further from normal. The two of you had been on the run at the time, never staying in one house for long since your captors were always one step behind you. You and Bucky lived in fear but when you fought side by side, there was little to fear.

     Your eyes roamed over all the photos from that terrifying, yet wonderful time of your life. There were pictures of the time you and Bucky snuck into a zoo and another of the two of you posing in front of a shark tank.

     Another photo was of you and Bucky eating at a small diner. That day was filled with blueberry pancakes, whipped cream, and laughter.

     Tears of happiness formed in your eyes as you gazed at your favorite picture. It was of you and Bucky standing in a flower garden. It was springtime when the photo was taken and all the vibrantly colored flowers were in full bloom. You remembered that Bucky had gathered all the best flowers and had given you a bouquet since he couldn’t buy you one for your wedding. You still had the bouquet, you had pressed the flowers and kept them in a glass case on the mantle of your living room.

     As you recalled all of the happy memories, you couldn’t help but remember the not so pleasant memory of when you and Bucky had first met.

 

 

_Your bare and bleeding feet slammed against the harsh concrete as you ran for your life. Tears poured down your blood soaked cheeks and even though the harsh rain violently pouring from the sky burned the lacerations covering your broken body, you pushed through the pain. You couldn’t let them catch you. You would rather die than go back to being their lab rat._

_Fierce rainclouds smeared the night sky and concealed the moon, making it almost impossible to navigate the dark alley you were running through._

_You were beyond exhausted._

_You had escaped in the middle of an experiment and wanted nothing more than to collapse but the shouts, gunfire, and snarling of mutant dogs was all the motivation you needed to keep running._

_Your overworked lungs greedily took in all the air they could as you sprinted through the maze-like twists and turns of the alleys. Panic sent a burst of adrenaline through your broken body when you heard your_ captors _closing in on you._

_You turned a corner and ended up in an open area. Your heart stopped when you saw men who were armed to the teeth. But much to your surprise (and relief), they weren’t attacking you, they were attacking a man with chin length auburn hair. The brunette fiercely fought his opponents and was managing to stand his ground despite being horrifically outnumbered._

_You held your breath and your shadows hid you when your captors enter the open area and began attacking the brunette. Every part of your being screamed at you to make a run for it, to let the man die so that you had time to escape. But when you heard him roar in pain and saw a mutated dog sink its massive fangs into his side, you knew you had to do something._

_Ignoring common sense for the greater good, you recklessly joined the fight._

_You threw out your hands in front of you and grabbed the shadow of an attacker with your own._

_It was so strange and surreal, fighting an enemy without even touching, killing without being seen. You took the shadows of the hostile’s guns and knives, ensnared their shadows and made the two collide. It was sloppy and the gore of your acts of self-defense made you gag, but you knew it was either them or you. Multitasking was difficult, hiding yourself in a shroud of shadows while attacking your opponents but you somehow managed._

_The monsters that tortured you would have been very pleased that their favorite lab rat was a success._

_The brunette man had just sliced the throat of one of his enemies when he suddenly heard a hostile scream. He whirled around and saw the man on the ground, grasping his own throat. He was desperately gasping for the air his lungs were being deprived of. The ex-assassin watched with horror stricken eyes as the hostile was choked to death by an invisible force. The wanted man had little time to stare at the now dead man, he had to kill the rest of his attackers._

_You had never engaged in combat but you managed to take out a fair amount of the attackers. Much to your demise, the violent thunderstorm concealed the moon with its thick, angry clouds and blocked out all moonlight. You barely had any shadows to work with. You couldn’t conjure shadows of your own and you struggled to grab the shadows of your enemies. You felt the cocoon of shadows protecting you begin to fade. Panic began to set into your system when you realized your self-protective barrier could break at any given moment. Luckily for you, a sudden thick bolt of lightning illuminated the night and gave you the shadows you needed to finish the fight._

_The battered man panted for air as he stood surrounded by the bodies of his fallen opponents. You would have been scared had you not been responsible for half of the casualties. Your body violently shook from exhaustion and you slowly felt your protective cocoon of shadows fall._

_You held your breath and stood completely still, hoping that you could stay hidden from the man. Unfortunately, your attempts were in vain._

_“What are you?” he demanded to know, his voice was bitter and hostile._

_Before you could answer, a massive bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, exposing both of you to each other. The light reflected off of his arm, his metal arm. Now you knew there was more to the man than met the eye. A sudden surge of courage coursed through you which led you to come out from the shadows and into the dim light._

_“I was going to ask you the same,” you coldly replied._

_You hoped that your stern tone would help mask your fear. Your heart slammed itself against your rib cage but you stood your ground when he approached you. Your body trembled but you reminded yourself that you had powers and he did not. That you had killed a majority of your attackers. The thought gave you confidence and you held your head high when he stopped a few feet in front of you._

_“Are you hurt?” he gently asked._

_You were taken aback by such a compassionate question. No one, absolutely no one, had ever inquired about your well being (aside from those monsters asking you about the symptoms you’d experience back when those freaks poked and toyed with your body)._

_“I-I’ve been better…” you bashfully confessed._

_Bucky’s eyes wandered over your barely clothed form. Your white gown had been torn to shreds, exposing your skin to the harsh elements. The rain ran down the massive lacerations in your skin, small rivers of blood cascaded down your shaking body._

_You blushed under the man’s intense gaze and failed to hear him approach until you felt a heavy weight on your shoulders. You softly gasped then realized that he had given you his jacket. It was heavy and soaked but it offered protection for the violent rain still pouring around you. You pulled the material closer to your body and savored the lingering warmth the kind man had left._

_“How long have you been running?” the brunette asked as he scanned the alleys surrounding the two of you._

_“Since dawn.”_

_Bucky whipped his head down to look at you. He wondered how on earth you were still standing. A small smile stretched across his face, there was a lot of fight in you. He liked that._

_“What about you?” you inquired. Part of you felt uncomfortable prying into his business but he didn’t seem to mind._

_“A little over a year.”_

_Your eyes widened at his answer. Common sense told you to run from him and never look back, but something else made you feel like you could trust him. The two of you were in the same situation…_

_“Where are you going?” the man asked._

_“Nowhere,” you answered then looked up at him with a desperate expression, “but anywhere away from here.”_

_He smiled down at you and agreed. The rain had stopped and the moon had finally reappeared. A blush dusted his cheeks when he saw your darling face. You smiled at his blush and knew that your cheeks were the same color as his._

_“We’ll be safer if we travel together,” the handsome man proposed._

_You quickly agreed to join him. He seemed to be familiar with the outside world and you knew that you wouldn’t make it far without him. You followed him as he led you down a long alley._

_“What’s your name?” you quietly asked._

_“I’m pretty sure it’s Bucky,” he answered with a hint of confusion in his voice._

_You were taken aback by his answer. You had expected a serial number or a demeaning label. Apparently the outside world was very different from the hell you had spent your entire life in._

_“What’s yours?” Bucky curiously asked as he looked over his shoulder to look at you._

_“VXX-4205,” you answered truthfully, “or Biter. Depends who you ask,” you finished with a smirk. Everyone who touched you walked away with a bite mark to remember you by._

_Bucky’s eyes widened at the dehumanizing labels and refused to address you by either of them._

_“Those aren’t names those are labels,” Bucky distastefully remarked. He paused to ponder of a name to give you._

_“How about (Y/N)?”_

_You perked up when you heard the pretty name, then smiled. You repeated the name a few times and enjoyed its lovely sound._

_“Yes! I love it! My name is (Y/N)!” you beamed as you hopped in place. You were ecstatic. Finally! You had a name of your own!_

_Bucky smiled down at you then turned to focus on the path ahead of the two of you. It was going to be rough. There was a big chance that the two of you would never be able to settle down and live in peace. Both of you were scared at what the future may hold but you were relieved you wouldn’t have to face the hardships alone._

 

     You were yanked from your thoughts when you heard someone fiddle with the lock of the front door. Burglars were common but what you truly feared was the freaks who were after you. You adjusted the lights and summoned your shadows, fully prepared to attack a possible hostile. You encased yourself in a cocoon of shadows and waited for the door to open.

     When it did, you lunged towards the intruder. Your aggression faded when you saw your Bucky in the doorway. You silenced and calmed your shadows then ran to him. Tears fell from your cheeks as you threw your arms around him and held him close to your body. His bulky jacket was soaked and you could feel him trembling from the frigid temperatures of the winter night.

     You buried your face into his neck and allowed a small sob to escape your lips. Your mind had tortured you with so many frightening scenarios that you needed to be sure that he was home and safe in your arms. You peppered his neck with kisses and Bucky wrapped his warm arms around you to reassure you that he was indeed in the flesh and not a dream.

     Once your tears of relief had been spent, you pulled back and cupped Bucky’s face.

     “Where were you?! I was so scared that they had gotten you!” you cried out as tears of fear reformed in your reddened eyes.

     “I’m sorry (Y/N),” Bucky genuinely apologized but smiled as he pulled away from you.

     “But it's Valentine’s Day and I wanted to get you something special,” your husband bashfully confessed as he revealed what he had hidden behind his back.

     You gasped when he held out a beautiful bouquet of roses. Their bright color and sweet fragrance brought tears to your eyes. You covered your mouth as you gazed down at the gorgeous bouquet. Bucky still had his work clothes on, he must have walked to the supermarket on the other side of town to buy the flowers for you. That explained why he was so late.

     The beautiful bouquet plus the bashful grin on your husband’s face made you melt. You smiled brightly through your tears and threw your arms around him again.

     “Bucky Barnes what would I do without a charming man like you?” you teased with a sweet smile as you placed the flowers in a vase.

     “I have no idea what I’d do without you by my side (Y/N),” Bucky truthfully confessed as he leaned against the frame of the kitchen door.

     You turned to face him when you realized the meaning behind his words. He didn’t know where he would be had he not met you that night. He didn’t know what he would have done had he been by himself. Bucky thanked the stars above that you were by his side.

     A warm and loving smile graced your darling face as you slowly approached him. Bucky took you into his arms and held you tightly. You embraced each other for what felt like hours. When you finally pulled apart, you realized that both of you were soaked and Bucky was shaking.

    “Come on, the water is hot,” you told him as you stripped him of his soaked clothes and led him to the bathroom.

     Bucky bit his lips and smirked as you removed his clothes.

     “You planned this didn’t you?” Bucky seductively purred into your ear. You trembled at the sound of his voice but grinned, he had caught you.

     “Well, it’s not the only thing I for planned tonight,” you flirtatiously hummed.

      You turned on the hot water, pulled your husband into the bathroom, and shut the door behind him.

 

At the end of the night, you stared into each other’s eyes and you savored the feeling of Bucky’s skin against yours. Neither of you knew what the future would bring but as long as you had each other, there was little to fear.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super late St. Valentine's Day one shot but better late than never! ;3;)/  
> I pretty much live on the Wiki page of superpowers. This time I thought it'd be cool to have a shadow related power! Let me know if you know of any cool powers (not the classics ex: element bending, super strength, mind reading etc.) and I might add it in one of my one shots!! >w


	11. All Is Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A smile graced your face as you thought of the happiness you shared with him.

 

 

_Your prayers had finally been answered._

     You gazed at him with adoration shining in your eyes. The rays of light peeking from over the horizon warmed your skin as the cool breeze gently tousled your hair. Although you admired the beauty of the sunrise, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him. The clean and crisp fabric of his unbuttoned shirt swayed in the wind. His bare feet touched the wood of the porch as he rocked the swinging bench back and forth. His eyes were fixated on the open field in front of your humble home. You knew he knew that you were openly staring but you knew he didn’t mind, he had always loved being the center of your attention. A small, mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

     “You know doll, staring might get you in trouble someday,” the center of your attention teased.

     You rolled your eyes and bit back a laugh before deciding to return the tease.

     “My apologies Mr. Barnes, I will stop staring at you,” you curtly informed as you turned your head in the opposite direction.

     Out of the corner of your eye, you could see him regret his tease. When he tried to charm you, you feigned anger and annoyance. But he wasn’t going to let you be “mad” at him for long. You yelped in surprise when you felt him wrap his strong arms around you and pull you into his lap. He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck and you couldn’t help but laugh at the ticklish sensation of his lips against your skin. He had cut his hair and shaved his beard the day before your wedding (he didn’t want to give you beard burn in _certain_ places).

     You laughed till you were breathless and he stopped before you passed out. He held you tightly to his broad and warm chest and you snuggled closer to his body. You were very familiar with his body. You kissed all his scars every time you made love to prove to him that you loved him unconditionally. A smile graced your face as you thought of the happiness you shared with him.

     The love of your life gazed into your eyes when you sat up in his lap. You gently cupped his cheeks and he nuzzled into the warmth of your soft palm. You tilted his head up to look at you. He stroked your cheek with the back of his finger.

     “I love you my darling (Y/N), I love you so much,” his eyes shone with love as he spoke.

     “I love you more Bucky,” you whispered. You had meant to proclaim it in a steadier voice but tears had begun to form in your eyes. Bucky smiled and chuckled.

     “That’s a lot of love,” Bucky replied with a wide smile and a soft chuckle. You echoed his laughter with your own then pressed your lips against his. Your kiss was cut short when you heard a familiar voice call you from the other side of the field.

     “Mama! Papa!” a small voice called.

    You and Bucky turned to see your young daughter running towards you. Her messy and tousled hair blew in the wind and the brightness of her smile was blinding. Her sundress twirled around her and her small hands held bundles of wildflowers. She laughed as her puppy Dolly barked and followed her through the green grass of the field.

     “Mama, Papa, look!” she chirped as her tiny legs scaled the steps of the porch.

     An ear to ear smile stretched across your husband’s face as he took his daughter into his arms and pulled her into his lap. You laughed when you saw all and of the wildflowers and leaves tangled into her tousled and tangled hair. Bucky had always tried to fix her hair with bows and ribbon but your daughter’s hair was untamable. You had always said she looked prettiest with wildflowers in her hair.

     Mama, Papa, look at what Dolly and I found!” your lively daughter cheered as she held out an array of brightly colored flowers. You gasped and Bucky smiled when the two of you realized what the flowers were.

    “Peonies!” you exclaimed in bewilderment. You had no idea that they grew near your home!

     Your daughter tilted her head in confusion at your wonderment and Bucky took it upon himself to explain.

     “Did you know that certain flowers have meanings?” Bucky gentle asked. Your daughter’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

    “Peonies represent happiness,” Bucky informed. You daughter looked down at the brightly colored flowers in her arms and stroked their delicate petals.

     “And good health and prosperity,” you added as you gazed down at the flowers.

     “And a happy marriage,” Bucky added as he gazed at you with loving eyes.

     “And a happy life,” you finished. You looked over to Bucky and mirrored the love shining in his eyes.

     Your daughter giggled as Bucky pulled the two of you into his lap and held you both tightly against his warm chest. You echoed your daughter’s laugh and Bucky soon joined in. You closed your eyes as you snuggled into your husband’s chest and you cherished the warmth of his skin.

     You and Bucky were safe. You had ran away hand in hand far away from all those with ill will. The wars were millions of miles away and would never harm him again. No one would ever hurt your Bucky again. He was free, he was safe, and most of all…he was happy.

     You listened to the melodious sounds of your daughter giggling as she placed her newly made flower crown on Bucky’s head. An ear to ear smile stretched across your husband’s face as he pulled his daughter to and peppered her soft cheeks with kisses. You smiled at the sight and joined in the laughter when Bucky began to kiss your cheeks as well.

     As the sun began to set, you sat next to Bucky on the porch and admired the vibrant colors that painted the sky. Your daughter was fast asleep in against her father’s chest and his arms were wrapped securely around your waist. Your husband look down at you, tilted your head up, then placed a lingering kiss on your lips. His lips were warm and sweet and lulled you into a state of serenity. When you pulled away, you rested your head on his chest and snuggled into his warmth. Bucky press you and your daughter close and securely to his body. Your husband kissed the crown of your head before resting his cheek on it.

     You slowly inhaled his scent then exhaled in bliss. His steady heartbeat relaxed you and lulled you to sleep. You smiled as you fell asleep in your husband’s arms. Your Bucky was free, your Bucky was safe, your Bucky was happy…

 

_…And all was well._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and yes I am alive!!! \\(^0^)/  
> Regarding the Chpt:  
> -I wrote this to prepare/help everyone who is going to see Civil War because we all want our darling Bucky to be safe and happy ;w;  
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WAITING FOR MY RETURN I'M SO SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG!!!! ;A;  
> Right now I'm working a full time job, going to college, and working on transferring to a university so I ask for your patience!!!!!!!!  
> I have also seen Civil War and SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It isn't as heartbreaking as I thought!! If you have any recommendations/requests for reader inserts in the CW plot let me know!! :DD


	12. Dinner Plans

 

_It was the same argument every single time._

     “How about Italian?”

     “Nah we had that last week.”

     “Well (Y/N) do you have any better ideas?”

     “Nah I’ll let you decide.”

     Bucky groaned as he emptied his barrel into the nearest alien invader. He ducked under a stack of overturned cars just in time to dodge a red blast an alien had fired.

     “What about Thai?” Bucky yelled so he could be heard over all the painfully loud noises of the ongoing battle.

     “Nah I’m not in the mood for that,” you replied as you incinerated several aliens at once.

     You danced around and dodged all enemy attacks and those you dare get close to you were burned alive. From your hands came infernos of flames, none of them stood a chance against you. The only thing holding you back was having to make sure Scott and Pietro werent in your line of fire.

      “Lady (Y/N)!” Thor called once he was in position. You used the flames from your hands to push you off the ground and send you flying into the air.

     “Not fair that’s my thing!” Tony complained. When he flew down beside you, you combined your flames with his explosives, taking out a hefty amount of hostiles.

     “How about seafood?” Bucky asked as he shot an alien that strayed too close to you.

     “I hate seafood,” you whispered to Thor who smiled in amusement.

     Thor raised his hammer to summon his lightning and the moment it came from the sky was the moment you merged it with your flames. Massive bolts of flaming lightning struck down from the sky and took out countless invaders.

      “(Y/N)!” Wanda called as she flew down towards you.

     You smiled at your friend once you were in position then shot your hands in the air and discharged your flames. With her powers, Wanda collected the fire then threw the flaming energy orb onto an enemy spaceship.

     “What about Greek?” Bucky proposed as he helped Steve take down an alien hostile.

     “Not in the mood!” you replied.

     You whirled around just in time to incinerate an alien but accidently hit the king of Wakanda too. The hostile fell into piles of ash but thanks to his Vibranium suit, T'Challa was unscratched. He stared at you and although his face was covered by his mask, you could feel the annoyance radiating from the king. With a horrified and apologetic expression, you did a small and awkward curtsy of respect then scampered away. If an alien invader didn’t kill you, you knew embarrassment would.

     The battle raged on for what felt like hours and soon enough, everyone had reached their limits. But the alien hostiles kept pouring in, there didn’t seem like there was an end to them.

     “I want pancakes!” Bucky hollered, agitated at your indecisiveness.

     “Well I don’t!” you rebutted as you landed next to him.

     “Doll, I love you more than anything but if we’re going to eat today you have to choose what you want!” Bucky argued.

     “Well I’m not in the mood for anything you’ve said!” you protested.

     “Well, what about sushi?” Bucky asked, hoping you would finally agree.

     “I HATE sushi!” you quarreled.

     “For the love of…damnit (Y/N)!” Bucky groaned in annoyance.

     “You two love birds need to stop bickering already! (Y/N)! We need Phoenix!” Natasha bellowed.

     “Not now Nat!” you barked, “We’re busy-Oh…”

     In front of you and the team was the entire alien invader army. There were countless of them. Now you understood what all their bickering was about...Phoenix was needed if you were going to save the world.

    "Alright everyone into Wanda’s shield I’m going to do it!” you ordered.

     “And you!” you exclaimed while pointing at your fiancé, “You better make up your mind on where you want to go eat!”

     Bucky made a deadpan face and groaned but said nothing. Once your team was far away and in the safety of Wanda’s shield, you began to chant.

     You could hear the army stomp their weapons against the ground while they screamed but you blocked out all noise. They mocked you, saying that you were only one helpless girl and that you could do nothing to stop them. You had every intention of proving them wrong.

     From your lips came an ancient song known only by the Chosen. Flames began to seep from your pores and encase your body. The louder your chant, the more powerful the flames. They consumed your clothes, your hair, and your skin until you were the embodiment of fire. Once you had finished your chant, you shot your eyes open. The enemies flinched at the sight of your body but refused to back down. They charged at you. You started to walk towards them then broke out into a sprint. They stopped dead in their tracks when you jumped up off the ground.

     As you flew into the air, your body transformed into your true form. Your feet turned into sharp talons, your mouth into a razor sharp beak, flaming feathers sprouted from your hair, and your outstretched arms turned into mighty wings. You were The Phoenix.

     You released an earsplitting cry then began to descend from the sky. The alien hostiles tried to run but there was no escaping you. You outstretched your mighty wings and they consumed everything in their path.

 

     When the Avengers saw the sky turn grey with ash, they knew it was over. They emerged from safety and found you standing in the middle of a barren field of ash. Your clothes had been destroyed so you clothed yourself in a robe of mild flames. You were exhausted and knew you wouldn’t be able to stand for much longer. Bucky ran to you and caught you. You retracted the flames back into your body and let him drape his jacket over your naked form. You rested your head against his chest and fought to stay awake. The fight was over, you had won the battle and Earth was safe.

     The team boarded the quincarrier and flew back to base. You roused from your sleep to find that most of them had fallen asleep. Bucky kissed the top of your head.

     “So where do you want to go eat?” Bucky asked in an exhausted tone.

     “I’m not hungry. I wanna go to bed,” you sleepily replied.

     Bucky nodded in agreement then both of you succumbed to sleep.

 

Looks like you’d have to make dinner plans for some other day.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some time to write and update woot! ^w^


	13. Ballerina AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Where is my rose?” you asked, choking on the pool of blood filling your mouth.

 

_As the bullet pierced your chest,_

_You looked into his eyes,_

_And knew,_

_That he loved you._

     Another mission. Another shot. Another kill. Last time it was a politician, the one before was a journalist. None of them were special, all of them were the same to him. The Winter Soldier stared blankly into the distance as he was informed of his next target: the daughter of a Soviet general who had become too powerful for HYDRA’s liking. He zoned out as his superior began droning on with useless details about the target but became attentive when his superior informed that the young woman was a ballerina. The Soldier would never tell a soul, but he had always admired the fine arts; ballets, operas, and ensembles. He was drawn to their beauty, something that his sorely life lacked. The assassin always enjoyed missions where he got to visit museums or opera halls. He always disliked ruining the show by assassinating a member of the audience or the conductor. The Soldier was secretly excited for the mission, he had never seen a ballet and looked forward to watching the play; even if he had to kill the lead ballerina.

     Wearing a black tuxedo and black gloves, the assassin blended in with the common folk. He seated himself close to the stage but far enough to take the shot. Much to the disappointment of the Soldier, it wasn’t the best seat in the hall. He had really wanted to enjoy the ballet but knew that completing his mission was more important. His moping was short lived as the lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play.

     The assassin watched in awe and admiration as the ballerinas danced and twirled with an otherworldly grace, telling the love story of a Scotsman and a sylph. A blinding spotlight illuminated the center of the stage, blinding the assassin and thoses near him. He brought his hand to his face to shield his eyes from the intense light but he lowered his hand when the lead ballerina began her solo dance.

     Her tutu was made of layers of white, embellished chiffon material, making it seem as if her dress were made of starlight. The shimmers of light blinded the audience but the assassin dared not to shield his eyes, the sight of her was too beautiful. The lead ballerina twirled and danced with ethereal grace, mirroring the lovestruck sylph she played. A crown of immaculate, white roses adored her head. She smelled of roses but it wasn’t from her crown. The aroma emitted from her very being, making her all the more angelic. The assassin’s mouth slowly opened as he watched in awe as she danced. He felt his body rise from his seat, as if he was ascending towards her heavenly light. With every twirl, the Soldier fell deeper and deeper under her magnificent spell. It was only broken when she abruptly stopped. Facing the audience, she raised her arms, concluding the ballet. A thunderous applause boomed throughout the hall as the audience went wild. The bravos and applause continued for several minutes. Countless red roses were thrown at the feet of the lead ballerina whose proud smile outshone the brilliance of her dress.

     Someone behind the Soldier threw a white rose. It stood out in the sea of red, catching the ballerina’s attention. She stared down at it, a fearful expression on her face. She then shook her head, reassuring herself of something. The ballerina brought it to her nose to smell the delicate rose, inhaling its magnificent aroma then looked in the direction of where the rose had come. Her eyes locked on the Soldier. The ballerina gazed at the assassin, a strange expression on her face, a knowing look in her eyes. She smiled at him. He bolted for the exit.

     The Soldier fought his way through the rows of cheering audience members. He cursed himself. He had been so deep in his moonstruck trance that he had missed his shot. Determined to finish his mission, the assassin searched for the bewitchingly beautiful ballerina’s dressing room. Once found, he slipped into the room unnoticed. The dim lights of her vanity casted a warm glow throughout the small room, illuminating the countless vibrant bouquets that littered her room. While searching for a place to hide, he saw a clipping of a Russian magazine article with her picture on it, praising her grace and congratulating her on becoming the lead ballerina. The assassin didn’t know why, but he took the clipping and put it into his coat pocket. He glanced at her vanity and saw papers carelessly stuffed in one of the drawers. Curiosity overtook him, causing him to search through the drawer. He placed his gun next to a bouquet of flowers then began to look through the papers. All of them were either love letters, letters from admires (all men), or letters asking for her hand in marriage. The Soldier snorted. The fact that these declarations of love were all crammed so carelessly into the bottom drawer of her vanity made it clear that she wasn’t even slightly interested. The Soldier continued his shameless invasion of his target’s privacy. He found jewelry and trinkets from suitors in a wicker basket on the floor next to her vanity and bloodied bandage wraps in another. It was by chance he found a secret drawer behind the mirror of the vanity. He pulled out a simple, white journal with a rose imprinted on the cover. On every page were pressed roses, some yellow, some red, some pink. On the corner of every page was a date. Below the date were the letters ‘R’, ‘P’, ‘Y’, and ‘W’. Each was followed by a number. Every letter had a number next to it except ‘W’. Page after page showed that the ‘W’ was always followed by a zero. What could it all mean?

     The assassin had been so engrossed in his thoughts, he failed to hear the door open. It was only when he heard a small gasp that he was pulled from his thoughts. Within seconds, he stuffed the journal into his coat then reached for his gun.

     Your eyes widened as the handsome man in your dressing room held out a white rose. You gazed down at the white rose with a knowing look; it was almost time. You looked up and saw that the man was as perplexed as you. You laughed; he looked cute when he was confused.

     “A white rose?” you smiled, “thank you good sir but may I so boldly say, you don’t seem like the innocent type,” you flirtatiously purred. The man stiffened. You watched as he thickly swallowed his anxiety, his Adam’s apple bobbing. You smiled. It was the reaction of all the men you met.

     You seated yourself onto the plush stool in front of your vanity, relieved to finally be off your feet. From the corner of your eye, you saw the handsome, but intrusive man, staring at you. The attention you once adored was quickly beginning to annoy you.

     “Why have you come here?” you asked him as you placed your crown of white roses next to the gun on your vanity. The man remained silent.

     “If you have come to give me a love letter, put it in that bin,” you instructed as you pointed at the trashcan. Your witty comment tugged at the corner of his lips, easing the tension in his body. Another period of silence passed.

     “I saw your ballet. You were…” your assassin began.

     “Beautiful? Wonderful? Amazing?” you scoffed as you began to take off your white ballet slippers. You were tired of the simple and unoriginal words men used to describe you. Your grace came from years of brutal and bone breaking training.

     “You men have no idea just how much pain there is in beauty,” you bit as you exposed your bleeding and bruised feet to him. You struggled to hold back a hiss of pain.

     “Ethereal,” he finished.

     You looked up at him, surprised at his choice of words. Unlike the rest, he had impressed you. You slowly rose from your seat, never taking your eyes off of his. Your assassin’s heart slammed itself against his ribcage. His mouth went dry as you took a step closer. He wanted to run, to escape, but you had bewitched him with your beauty.

     “What else?” you purred, inches away from his lips.

     A wide smile graced your face as the intimidating man’s composure began to disintegrate before your very eyes. He thickly swallowed again and seemed as if he was going to faint. You quietly laughed then spun around and walked behind your dressing screen. You lit the oil lamp behind the scarlet screen, your silhouette visible to him.

     “What else?” you asked again as you began to undress.

     The air was sucked from the Soldier’s lungs as he watched you undress from behind the screen. You moved slowly and with exaggerated movements, giving the assassin a show. You undid your hair and let the styled strands fall freely. You hung your ballet dress then turned your back to him, making sure the assassin saw every curve of your silhouette.

     “Divine,” the Soldier managed to say.

      You slowly redressed yourself then stepped out from behind the screen dressed in a formfitting scarlet dress with a sweetheart neckline; not low enough to be scandalous but low enough to make the Soldier’s desires intensify. You put on a white mink coat then grabbed his rose off of your vanity.

     “Will I see you at my next performance?” you asked as you held the rose close to your face.

_‘No.’_

     He knew he shouldn’t. He knew he had to complete his mission. He fought with himself but gave into his desires.

      “Yes.”

      “What is your name?” you turned to ask him.

      Your assassin froze, completely taken by surprise. He had no answer because he had no name. In his state of panic, he glanced at the poster of the ballet you had just performed.

      “James,” he quickly answered, choosing to share the name of the lovestruck Scotsmen in the ballet. You thought nothing of it. James was a common name.

     “I look forward to seeing you again, James,” you told him with a smile then turned to leave.

     The Soldier glanced at the gun on the vanity but hesitated. In his moment of weakness, you had exited the room. It was the first time he hadn’t completed his mission. In his defense, it was also the first time he had met a ballerina, a graceful yet seductive one at that.

     He came to your next performance. You knew when a white rose was thrown at your feet, standing out in a sea of red. You looked in the direction of the thrown rose and saw him. He was smiling at you as he clapped. Even from the stage, you could see the stars in his eyes. You picked up the rose. It was the only rose you took that night.

     You found James waiting for you in your dressing room.

     “Where is my rose?” you asked him. You bit back a grin when the color drained from his handsome face. But it was you who had been tricked, your eyes widened when he pulled out another white rose. You laughed, shaking your head, amused by his delightful surprise.

     James came to your next performance, and the next, and the next, and the next.

     “Where is my rose?” you asked him every time.  And every time, he presented you with another white rose.

     The two of you began to spend more and more time together. He began to walk you home after your ballets. The more time you spent together the more the tension between you grew. Shy glances turned into prolonged lustful stares, a spark of electricity pulsated through your bodies at the slightest touch. You could feel his lustful eyes on you as you danced on stage. It lit a fire deep within you. After the performance, he threw a white rose and you took it. He was watching you with those eyes again. Your cheeks flushed and your breathing became heavy as the tension between the two of you reached its peak. When the applause died down, you bolted for your dressing room, unable to wait any longer.

     You returned to your room and found James sitting in the chair in front of your vanity. You couldn’t hold back your desires. You were ready, so was he.

     He looked up at you to greet you but before he could speak, you mounted him, roughly cupped his face, then crushed your lips onto his. Your sudden lack of restraint caught him by surprise but within seconds he met your passion. You ran your fingers through his dark auburn locks as he grabbed your waist and pulled you closer to his body. Your lips passionately danced with his but he wanted more. You moaned when he bit your bottom lip and again when he slipped his tongue into your mouth, intensifying the kiss. He placed his hand on the back of your head then snaked his arm around your waist, pressing your lush body completely against his. You moaned when you felt his desire rub against you. James took the opportunity the push you to the floor, his hand on the back of your head to cushion the fall. He hovered over you, shielding you from the outside world.

     You felt safe under the man who had been sent to kill you.

     James began kissing the flushed skin of your neck but you wanted more. You rose your hips and rubbed them against his. The friction broke all the Soldier’s restraints. You cried out when James bit down on the skin of your neck. He silenced you with a kiss then began to undo the ribbons of your ballet dress. You met his passion and eagerness by pulling off his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt. A throaty moan slipped from James’s lips as you began to undo his belt. A sudden knock on the door halted your actions.

     You pushed James off of you then grabbed your robe. James quickly hid behind your dressing screen like a teenage boy. You cracked open the door and politely declined the invitation to a celebration party. The second you closed the door was the second James pushed you up against it and started ravenously kissing you again. You put your hands on his chest and gently pushed him away to whisper into his ear. A devilish grin stretched across his face as you told him your plan. Not bothering to redo the ribbons James had undone, you threw on your mink coat, grabbed James’s hand, then ran into the cold of the Russian night.

     You led him to your apartment and once inside the privacy of your home, neither one of you held anything back. Clothes were on the floor within seconds. Moans and screams of pleasure echoed throughout the room and you knew your landlord would be knocking on your door the next morning. James left you breathless. Round after round, he eagerly and happily satisfied your every need and desire. The night was filled with passionate and amorous lovemaking.

     At the end of it all you laid on your bed breathless and totally exhausted. You lied on your back with your eyes closed, unable to move. James on the other hand seemed fine, as if he could go for another round! That of course was not possible given that you couldn’t even turn your head. James softly laughed then kissed your forehead before getting out of the bed to retrieve the blanket that had been tossed to the floor during your lovemaking. As he draped the sheet over your bare form, he noticed something he hadn’t noticed before.

     “What is this?” James asked as his fingers ghosted over a tattoo of a rose in white ink at the center of the valley of your breasts.

     “My marking,” you whispered, half asleep.

     The colored drained from the Soldier’s face, “Marking?” he echoed in a deeply concerned tone.

     “We all have one; in different places, in different colors, signifying our different powers.”

     “What is your power?” James half heartedly joked, hoping that you were rambling in your sleep and the tattoo was from the drunken night of your twenty-first birthday or something.

     “I know exactly when I’ll die.”

     Your assassin’s mind went blank. His stomach churned as he replayed your words over and over again, hoping that maybe he’d hear you differently.

     “H-how will you die?” he asked in a shaky voice, unable to swallow the thick lump of paranoia forming in his throat.

     “A white rose will be thrown at my feet, then a bullet will stain the rose blood red,” you answered as you brought your hand up to touch the ‘marking’.

     James’s eyes fixated on the white rose painted onto your skin. He forced himself not to imagine it stained red with blood…your blood. The Soldier forced himself to think rationally. He knew that there were ‘enhanced’ individuals (him being one of them) but knowing the time and date of one’s own death was a stretch…at least he hoped…

     “There were fourteen of us. I am the only one still alive.”

     “I miss them,” you murmured as a tear rolled down your cheek then you succumbed to sleep.

     Your tear washed away his doubt but his denial remained. None of the roses thrown at your feet nor the roses in your journal were white. He was the only one to have ever given you a white rose. Which made sense since he had been sent to kill you. But, by choosing to not kill but love you, had he undone this predestined curse? You would not die. Not with James by your side. But he had to be sure.

     Placing the cover over your sleeping form, he kissed your and against you lips promised that no harm would ever befall you. Silently, he redressed himself then left the warmth of your apartment to bare the bitter cold of the Russian night. Under the cover of night and with a well-used lock pick, the Soldier broke into every flower shop in Moscow and stole every white rose he found. He dumped them into the bonfire barrels that littered the damp alleyways of the city. The Soldier stayed to watch the once immaculate petals writhe and disintegrate in the fire, making sure that the petals were scorched beyond recognition. By the end of the night, every flower shop in Moscow and the surrounding cities were without white roses and the streets of the city reeked of burnt roses.

     As silently as he left, James reenter your apartment, undressed, then snuggled up next to you. He smiled when he realized you hadn’t even moved a muscle. He was relieved you hadn’t woken up in his absence. Your assassin pulled you to his chest and inhaled your scent, filling his senses with the aromatic smell of blooming roses, a relief after burning so many. James rested his hand on the nape of your neck, focusing on your heartbeat, determined to ensure that it would never stop. On any other night, the warmth and softness of your body would have lulled him to sleep, but he was too paranoid to even close his eyes. Burning all the white roses in Moscow wasn’t enough. He had to take you away, to hide you from HYDRA and the world. He would be robbing the world of the greatest ballerina to ever grace the stage but the world didn’t deserve you. But dancing brought you such joy…it’d break his heart to ask you to give up ballet...but there was no other way to keep you safe. In the morning he would gently bring it up. He hoped that you would understand the reasoning behind his wishes. The Soldier spent the rest of the night imagining your rebuttals and ways he could gently convince you to run away with him.

     You stirred once the rays of sunlight illuminated the room. James quickly feigned sleep to avoid any suspicion. He heard you softly laugh then gently kiss his lips, it was then he pretended to wake.  You gazed up at him with half lidded eyes, a blissful expression on your face. You snuggled closer to his warmth then began to nibble and suckle on the skin of his neck. James suddenly moved himself on top of you then pinned both arms above your head.

     “Was last night not enough?” he purred in your ear.

      “Oh no, no, no!” you suddenly cried out with a laugh, putting your hands on his robust chest and pushing him up.

     “You left no part of me unsatisfied,” you assured him as you cupped his face, “or untouched for that matter.”

     “Do you want more?” he asked as he bit his lip. You laughed as you shook your head.

     “James, I fear that I’ve lost my ability to walk after last night!” you rebutted. He laughed but you were serious.

     “Now get up, I have to see how much skin I have left on my neck,” you told him as you patted his chest. James reluctantly rolled off of you but didn’t let you leave the bed without a passionate kiss.

     He admired your bare backside as you made your way to your vanity. You slipped on a silk black robe but left it undone when you saw the sheer amount of love marks on your skin. You chastised him but he rebutted that you had begged for more the previous night. You bashfully blushed, lying that you had no memory of that. You ogled at the sight of him in your bed; his post lovemaking, bedhead hair was disheveled in the sexist way possible. Your crimson sheets were entangled around his lower half, you shamelessly eyed his muscular and robust upper half. You forced yourself to look away when you felt a familiar warmth pool in an intimate area.

     James smiled as he watched you brush your tangled locks but his smile faded when he looked at your reflection in the mirror and saw the white rose at the center of your chest. He knew what he had to do…and it broke his heart to do it.

     “When is your next ballet?” he asked in a steady tone, careful not to act out of character in fear of raising suspicion.

     “Sunday.”

     Tomorrow. He had less than twenty-four hours to convince you to give up your lifework and run away with a man you had just met. James scrambled to conceive a strategy.

     “It will be my last.”

     His eyes widened in disbelief. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He hadn’t foreseen-or planned- for this. This changed everything.

     “A-Are you sure?” James asked, struggling to mask his relief.

     “Yes.” you simply answered.

     “So…what are you going to do afterwards?” he asked as he sat up, eagerly awaiting your answer, “With the money and fame you’ve earned as a ballerina, you could do anything or go anywhere.”

     You stopped brushing your hair and fell silent.

     “…I wish…I could see the world with you by my side…”

     “Wish granted!” James exclaimed as he jumped off out of the bed still completely nude. His sudden outburst startled you, you had never seen him so excited.

     “Where would you like to go (Y/N)? I’ll buy the train tickets tonight just name the place!” James cheered with a brilliant smile, delighted that you were choosing to retire from ballet.

     You were silent for a moment, a strange look swirled in your eyes but it was gone before James could focus on it. You softly told him where you wished you could go, prompting him to scoop you into his arms and twirl you around. He kissed your nose, your cheek, your neck, your lips repeatedly causing you to laugh at his giddiness. James kissed you one last time before setting you down and rushing to dress himself.

     “You should take a shower before leaving,” you suggested.

     “Why?” he asked, genuinely perplexed.

     “You reek of last night,” you informed. The musk of last night’s ravish lovemaking covered his skin and followed him like a shadow.

     “Will you join me?” James seductively asked. You threw a towel at his face as a reply. You shared a laugh before he entered your bathroom.

     You waited till you heard the shower water run then picked his jacket off the floor. You reached into the pocket and retrieved the white journal you knew he had stolen the night you met. You made one last entry then hid it in the drawer of your vanity when the shower water stopped. You were sitting in front of your vanity when James reentered the room, making it seem that you had never left it. As he had said, he left to go buy the train tickets and make other preparations. He told you to start packing and apologized when he told you to pack lightly. Excessive belongings and baggage would only slow the two of you down. You nodded in agreement. James kissed you sweetly, his face bright with happiness and relief then he left.

     You waited for the sound of his footsteps to fade before pulling out several cardboard boxes from your closet. You then proceeded to pull your clothes from the hangers and dump them into the boxes. You emptied out the contents of your vanity, closet, pantry, and every cabinet in your apartment till there was nothing left. Then you knocked on your neighbor’s door. Her youngest daughter answered and eyed the box you were holding curiously. You smiled at the young girl, then placed the box at her feet. When her mother came to the door, you invited her to take everything she wanted.

     “You don’t need any of this?” she asked as she sorted through the clothes and food.

     “I can’t take them with me,” you replied with a sad smile.

     What she didn’t take, you offered to her neighbor and so on until all of your belongings had been given away. Your last stop was the landlady. You handed her the key to your apartment and this month’s rent. You thanked her for everything and apologized for last night’s racket. The old woman simply smiled and shook her head, saying that she remembered what it was like to be young and in love.

     “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she teased.

     “It won’t,” you reassured.

     You then went to the theater and proceeded to do the same with your dressing room. You gave your bouquets to the theater staff and your ballet accessories to the other ballerinas. Heaving the bulking wicker basket of letters from your admires, you decided to amuse yourself by reading a few. You snorted as you read countless sappy poems, rolled your eyes at letters of men who thought they knew you personally, and grimace at the stalker-ish letters before quickly burning them over a lit candle.

    As you sifted through the letters, you caught sight of a letter that had white wax seal and underneath it, a white rose petal. You opened the letter and quickly realized it was from James. Your eyes danced across the paper as you soaked in every word, burning their sweetness into your memory. You held the letter close to your heart and felt tears stream down your cheeks. If only…oh if only…

     You wiped your tears then continued to purge the dressing room of all your possessions. By the time you finished, it was time to get ready for your ballet. Your last ballet.

     You had just placed your feathered tiara on your head when you heard a knock on your door. You opened the door and found a smiling James on the other side. James’s eyes roamed over your figure, admiring both it and your ballet dress. The tutu was covered in white feathers, the corset was embellished in an ornate lace, and the sweetheart neckline dipped past the valley of your breasts, exposing the white rose marking at the center of your chest. It made him uncomfortable but he reassured himself by pulling out two train tickets. You bit back tears as you looked at them.

     “The train leaves thirty minutes after your ballet ends so we’ll have to be quick,” James informed you as he looked around your empty dressing room.

     “Have you packed your things?”

     “Yes.”

     “Where are your bags?” James asked, suspicion laced his voice.

     “On the train,” you lied. Your lover raised an eyebrow.

     “How did you know which train-“

     “The soonest one after my ballet,” you interrupted. Your quick answer satisfied him.

     A silence followed. You could feel the excitement radiating from his being. You pulled your robe closer to your body and bit your bottom lip.

     “James…”

     A sudden knock on the door interrupted you. The stage manager informed you that the ballet was beginning in ten minutes.

_‘Ten minutes…’_

     James softly called your name, sensing something was wrong. The sweetness of his voice made your stomach churn and tears sting your eyes. You suddenly threw yourself into his arms, catching your lover by surprise. You buried your face into his chest and savored his warmth. He pressed you against his robust chest. You replayed the night you had felt his bare skin in your head and cherished the memory. A silent tear rolled down your cheek. You remembered how safe you had felt under him, how his body shielded you from the outside world. You remembered the softness of his lips as they passionately danced with yours and the way his scruffy beard tickled your neck. You burned into your memory the feeling of his calloused hands softly caressing and roaming your skin. You wished you could have felt him one last time…

     Suddenly grabbing his cheeks and pulling him down, you passionately kissed him, tongue and everything. You held nothing back. James met your fervor tenfold as he crushed you against his hard body. It was you who reluctantly pulled away when the stage manager told you that the show began in five minutes. You embraced your one and only lover and deeply inhaled his scent before pulling away. You redid your makeup then pulled out your white journal. James stared at the little white book with wide eyes, a guilty look stained his handsome face.

     “I know you took it,” you stated in a partially chastising tone. Your admission only deepened his guilt. It soon changed to confusion when you handed him the item he had stolen.

     “I want you to have it.”

     Your words perplexed him and he began to worry. James opened his mouth but was silenced by frantic knocking. You kissed him softly then left the room, leaving him alone and confused. After a few moments he mentally pushed his questions and confusion aside then quickly made his way to the auditorium. He took a pamphlet about the ballet from the greeter then hastily seated himself _. ‘Swan Lake’_ was the name of the ballet. James looked through the pamphlet and saw that you would be performing a solo.

     His stomach sank. His heart rate hastened at an inhuman rate. He read the words over and over and over and over and over again, praying to God that they would magically change.

 

_Presenting the graceful (Y/N) (L/N)_

_Playing Odette, the Swan Queen_

_In the Dying Swan_

_‘Oh no…’_

     But before James could react, the lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play. All he could do was pray.

     The stage props were sublime, the ballerinas were exceptionally graceful, the costumes were breathtaking but James could not admire their beauty. He could not even admire you, in all your divine and magnificent beauty. He was too busy frantically looking over his shoulder, obsessing over his surroundings and constantly glancing at his watch, begging for time to make haste so that he could take you from this place. So that he could keep you safe.

     He was stilled when he saw you abruptly stop. You turned to the audience, then out stretched your arms. Your teary eyes fixated on James, your one and only love, and you smiled.

     James watched in horror as a white rose was thrown at your feet.

Then a bullet pierced your chest.

 

     Your blood stained the rose a dark, sickening red. You stumbled backwards but used all your energy to keep yourself from falling. The auditorium erupted into delirious chaos. Audience members frantically scrambled towards the exit, fearing that they would be the next target. The music of the orchestra was replaced with screams of panic driven hysteria.

     James snapped his head back, searching for your assassin. He saw the silhouette of a hooded figure and considered hunting them down but they had disappeared into the crowd. As the audience members bolted for the exit, you continued to dance. Arms folded, on tiptoe, you dreamily and slowly circled the stage. In gliding motions of the hands, you strode toward the fading horizon, as if in a moment more, you would fly away. The tension in your body gradually began to weaken as blood continued to gush out of your bullet wound. You slowly sunk to the stage, arms waving faintly, the pained expression of your face distracted from the beauty of your grace.

     James fought against the crowd of frantic audience members, pushing and shoving without any consideration, making his way towards you. His tears blurred his vision but he fixated himself on you, dying but dancing.

     Then, with faltering and irregular steps toward the edge of the stage, your leg bones began to quiver like the strings of a harp. Your skin had paled, contrasting with the vermillion blood that gushed down your chest, staining your once stainless dress. With one swift forward-gliding motion of the right foot to earth, you sink on your left knee. Weakened, spent, and transfixed by pain, you fell to the stage. James caught you in his arms, saving you from hitting the cold stage. There was chaos and pandemonium surrounding him but all he could focus on was you. He held you and sobbed as blood began to drip from your mouth.

     “Where is my rose?” you asked, choking on the pool of blood filling your mouth.

     You managed to smile when James pulled out a white rose. With shaking hands, you took the rose and placed it against your bloodied chest. With what remaining strength you had, you outstretched your other arm and placed it behind your head. Then your head fell back and you breathed your last. As did the Swan Queen Odette, you died in grace and in the arms of your true love.

     James’s screams joined those of the escaping audience members. He sobbed against your neck as he cradled your dead body-the only woman he had ever loved.

     His ballerina.

     His lover.

     His (Y/N)…

 

 

………………………

………

......

...

..

.

 

 

_The intruder was assaulted by the aroma of roses when he broke into cramped the apartment. He was taken aback by the several potted rose plants covering his former friend’s home. All were in full bloom, remarkably healthy, and meticulously groomed. He reached out to touch one of the blooms and stroked its petal but in the process, slit his finger against a thorn. He quickly retracted his hand but not before his blood stained the once immaculate white petal. The blonde man watched in horror as his blood greedily consumed the petal. So easily were white roses stained red…_

_The trespasser wandered the home of his long-lost friend, examining his belongings. His attention was ensnared by a white journal placed on a nightstand beside the bed. The man gingerly picked up the book, its white cover unblemished and immaculate, in stark contrast to the rest of the room. He ghosted his fingers over the rose imprinted on the cover before opening the book._

_Inside were aged and withered clippings from a Russian newspaper. Unable to read the language, his azure eyes wandered to a clipping of a young ballerina. Turning the page, he found more pictures of the young woman. Carefully pressed white roses filled the following pages. The last one had dried blood stains on it. On the final page was a poem. The foreign man squinted as he struggled to translate the poem but was eventually able to understand a small portion._

In my rose garden dreams,

There was only you and me.

_The American was snapped back to reality when he heard a gun click. He whirled around and came face to face with a barrel of a gun, his long-lost childhood friend at the other end of it. His face was rugged with poorly kept facial hair and sleepless eyes. An animalistic rage burned in his eyes as they darted to the white journal in the intruder’s hands. The broken man snarled._

**_“Let go of her.”_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!! ヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾞ  
> I warned that angst was coming and here it finally is!! Mwahaha!! >:D  
> Hope you enjoyed this piece bc I sure did love writing it! I've always adored ballerinas, their grace has mesmerized me for as long as I can remember. 
> 
> Regarding the Chpt:  
> -This piece was loosely inspired by a manga called 'Clover' by CLAMP. It's an amazing manga and the art is breathtaking, totally recommend it! I have another 'Clover' inspired piece in the making and I look forward to sharing it! (♡ >ω< ♡)   
> -I did a lot of research on ballets for this piece. The first ballet is called 'La Sylphide' and the second is 'The Swan Queen', both are romantic tragedies (befitting for this piece).   
> -This definitelyyyyyyyyy my smutiest piece and I must say this is as smuty as I get.   
> -I will most certainly be writing more angst
> 
> I have a lot of WIPs that I've almost finished so I'll be updating all my pieces very soon! Thank you so much for your patience! ;3;
> 
> Comment/Kudo to let me know if you liked it!! :DD
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own any Marvel or CLAMP properties neither the ballets in this piece. I own nothing but my writings which is based on pure fiction.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my lovelies! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧  
> Thank you so much for reading I appreciate your support and kind words!!  
> Comment/Kudo to let me know what you thought~!! ( ˘ ³˘)❤
> 
> **Disclaimer**  
> I do not own anything Marvel related, nor do I own you the reader, (all of you are lovely, strong, and independent!!)  
> I own nothing but my writing which is a work of fiction.


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